Come To You By Moonlight
by Strega Brava
Summary: **COMPLETE** Love had always been forbidden...what will happen when someone refuses to be shut out? Danger. Love. Angst. HG/RL. To be considered AU and OOC to some degree.
1. Prologue

Come To You By Moonlight 1 **__**

Disclaimer: The characters and the settings belong to JK Rowling (many thanks). The plot belongs to me. This was originally posted under another pen name.

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Prologue: A Terrible Destiny

The sandy-haired boy was lying on the grass in the back yard of his parents' house, lazily watching the clouds as they hurried past the setting sun. The days were getting longer and he was able to stay outside a little later than he had in the spring. He loved to be outside. He felt free. He felt alive. He did not have to deal with an exacting father, a submissive mother and the ghost of an older brother who had been perfect in every way…every way he was not.

His brother had been tall and athletic. He was somewhat shorter and not nearly as strong. His brother was very intelligent and picked new things up very quickly. He had to study very hard. His brother had been very attractive. He, although not bad-looking, looked too pensive and delicate.

"Why did you have to die?" he thought to himself.

His brother, a full eight years older than himself, had been his hero…his idol and his parents' darling. The extra attention had never been a particular concern…he always found a way to make his little brother feel special. It was only after his untimely death that he felt jealous, resentful and alone. He was not angry with his brother. He was angry with his parents.

"I should have died instead," his young eyes began to water at the very thought of it. He was only eight years old, far too young for such misery.

He wiped his tears on his sleeve and stood up, shaking the grass off of his clothes. He thought he should start heading inside and helping his mother with the nightly chores before his nightly lessons with his father. He shivered slightly even though the early summer air was warm. His father expected nothing less than perfection. He pounced on every little mistake he made. It had gotten so bad that he had become shy and somewhat withdrawn around others. He never felt good enough. He never felt that he mattered as much as his brother did.

Sighing, he headed towards the house, towards the prison which, on the outside, looked so pleasant and friendly to the casual observer. He knew better.

With a final glance at the darkening sky, he opened the door and smiled at his mother as she finished cleaning the dishes from supper. His father was sitting in his accustomed chair, smoking his accustomed pipe and gave him the same look he gave him every night. The look which asked him why he was not more like his older brother.

"I have an errand for you tonight, boy," he said suddenly.

The young boy turned to him with wary eyes.

"I need you to bring a message to Arabella Figg, tonight. It is very important."

"But, tonight of all nights? Can it not wait until tomorrow night? It is already dark," his mother protested.

The older man gave her a stern look and she silenced immediately.

"I cannot go as my joints have swollen up again and young Pomfrey cannot come until tomorrow morning. This is urgent. Do you think you can manage it without making a fool of yourself?"

The young boy fought back tears at the derisive tone in his father's voice.

"Yes, I'll go. I know the way. It won't take long," he said in as neutral a tone as he could.

"Good. Be sure you don't take a long time. There be things in the forest just waiting to have a foolish lad like yourself for supper."

The father held out the letter and his son took it with shaking hands. His mother handed him a light robe and kissed him.

"You don't need to coddle the boy so much, woman, you'll be seeing him soon enough," the man said gruffly.

"Don't mind him…his legs are bothering him badly tonight. Be sure to hurry back…don't let Mrs. Figg go on about her cats or else you'll be there till morning," she managed a wan smile but the boy could see the worry in her face.

He kissed her pale cheek.

"I'll be back as quick as I can," he promised.

He opened the front door and hurried off. Night had fallen and the soft hooting of far-off owls could be heard.

"The quickest way would be through the forest. That should be no trouble…there's enough moonlight to find my way," he thought to himself.

For one so young, he maneuvered his way through the forest with an ease that was somehow more than human. He barely made any sound as his shoes trod over the lush undergrowth of the forest. 

"If Mrs. Figg starts talking about her cats one more time I think I will scream or howl or something like that," he thought to himself and then immediately repented. The poor lady had no relatives that he knew of and she always was so happy to see him…happier, indeed, than his father ever had been.

For a moment, he thought he heard rustling near him but, when he stopped to listen more carefully, there was no sound at all.

"I must have imagined it," he thought, shaking his head.

Then he heard a sound that made him freeze. It was a low growl rumbling from somewhere behind him. He turned around slowly and the sight that greeted him paralyzed him with fear.

It stood about seven feet tall and was completely covered in matted silvery-white fur. It vaguely resembled a human being in that it stood upright but it was a ferocious animal as well. Muscles rippled menacingly under its skin and its eyes, full of evil, rooted him to the ground. It slowly approached him, sniffing.

"Maybe…maybe if I…I don't move…it will go away," he prayed fervently. He could not move if he wanted to. He probably would not have been able to outrun the monster even if he had.

The monster stopped sniffing him and started snarling, a large tongue licking its misshapen teeth as if hungry. It suddenly growled at him very loudly, startling the boy and sending him running in blind terror.

"Got..to…get…home," his panicked thoughts were only focussed on getting home, "Got…to…get…to…mother."

Suddenly he felt excruciating pain in his shoulder and realized that the monster had clamped his jaws around…

"Father…Mother…" were his thoughts as he fell to the ground with a thud. The last thing he heard, before plunging into the darkness that beckoned him, was a loud cracking sound…

"Father…I'm sorry…"

His eyes closed.

*****

He felt as if he were floating. Somewhere. Up in a cloud. He could not see anything. It was far too foggy. He could hear noises. Voices. But they were foggy too. He did not want to move. It was nice just to listen to the inarticulate voices and look at the indiscriminate fog. The voices slowly became clearer and the fog began to life. He still could not open his eyes or move around but he was reasonably sure that he was still alive.

Sometime later, it was so hard to tell how long, he felt a hand hold his gently. It was soft and it also caressed his face. It felt nice. At other times, he felt a rougher hand patting his head and speaking softly and sadly. Tears had splashed his face. Someone had wiped them dry. He also felt someone touching his shoulder. It felt odd…rather disjointed…as if it no longer belonged to him.

He felt that he was close to the surface now. He could try to open his eyes. And he did. It was early morning and he was in his own bed. That was not surprising. What was surprising was that his mother and father were sleeping on a small cot in his room. They looked exhausted. He tried to move but he felt pain in his shoulder and moaned slightly. 

His mother woke up immediately and rushed over to him.

"You're awake. You're finally awake. Thank the stars you finally came back to us," she was crying and holding his hand as if she were scared to ever let it go again.

His father stirred and, realizing that his son was now conscious, approached the bed cautiously. He had such a sorrowful expression on his face that it made the boy uncomfortable.

"I'm all right. Really. It's just my shoulder that hurts," he tried to reassure his parents.

His mother looked as if she was about to burst into tears again. She patted his head affectionately.

"Of course. You will be fine," he thought she sent a warning glance to his father but then thought he had probably imagined that.

"I'm so sorry…son…I should not have…I could have waited…" his father looked as if he was having difficulty breathing.

"It's okay. I just need some time to get better. It wasn't your fault that I was attacked by that…that thing. I'm just glad that I am still here."

His mother and father exchanged a worried glance, which puzzled the young boy.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," his mother answered, "Nothing is wrong. I am going to call young Pomfrey immediately to tell her that you have regained consciousness. We have to see if we can…if we can heal your shoulder."

*****

The young man was looking at the box that had just arrived at their house. It was huge.

"What's that?" he asked his father.

"It's a cage," his father answered in a tone that did not allow for further questioning. The boy would have shrugged but it hurt too much. For some reason, his shoulder was not healing well. Young Pomfrey, the local mediwitch, was always over, trying all sorts of potions and poultices and spells to try to get the wound to heal but it did not seem to be responding to anything.

"Well, it could have been worse," he thought, "at least no one sees it when I am wearing my robes."

*****

"What do you mean you want me to test this cage out?" the young boy asked in shock.

His father sighed and had a pained expression on his face. They were in the basement of their house and the older man was holding the door to the cage open for his son.

"This is a magical cage. It is specially designed to be escape-proof. I am conducting tests on it for the Ministry of Magic."

"If it is escape-proof, why do you need me in there?"

"Because you have always had a…talent for escaping from your room, your classes and even from your parents for as long as I can remember. If you can't escape from it, I have no doubt that the greatest wizarding criminals will have no chance."

The boy still frowned. 

"Humour me. I promise I will let you out as soon as possible," the father said, with a nervous glance out the window.

"All right," the boy muttered as he stalked inside with a sulking face.

The father quickly bolted the door and muttered a quiet spell which caused the bars of the cage to glow with a strange amber light.

"Do you feel anything?" the father asked in a small voice.

"What do you mean, do I feel anything? I feel trapped. Wouldn't you? I'm in a cage"

"I mean, how do you feel, physically?'

"Father, this isn't really a good time to be talking about that."

"It's important."

"Okay. Fine. I have been tired the past few days. Mother keeps trying to get me to eat but I'm not that hungry. I almost feel like that time I had the flu last winter. Can I come out now?"

"Just a few more minutes and then I'll know for sure."

There was something in his father's tone which frightened him.

"What will you know?"

His father looked at him with pity and it seemed to the boy that the moonlight streaming through the window put him in relief so that he could only see his outline.

Then there was pain. The boy started writhing in agony as he felt a pain so intense he thought he would die. It felt as if his skin was ripping apart.

"Father! What is happening to me?! Make it stop!! Please!! Make it stop!!" he screamed over and over again.

His father watched in horror and looked as if he was going to throw up or faint or both.

The boy grabbed the bars of his cage and began to bang his head against them. He threw his head back to scream…but only a unearthly howl escaped his lips. Startled, he looked back down at his hands and cried out as he saw them painfully changing…growing larger…bristling hair, light brown in colour, was sprouting all over his hands and arms. The nails were quickly becoming claws which gleamed cruelly in the moonlight. He tried to say something but could only snarl. He felt as if he was losing consciousness. He felt as if he was losing himself. He felt as if he was somehow becoming something…inhuman.

"Father…" was his last conscious thought…

His father looked at the creature that his son had become and wept openly as it thrashed in its cage and started biting and clawing at itself in frustration.

"Oh, Remus," he cried, "I am so sorry."


	2. An Unhappy Return

Come To You By Moonlight 2 **__**

Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling with many thanks. This is a Remus/Hermione story and is dedicated to all my fellow Marauders but especially to Tessie and Amy.

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Chapter One: An Unhappy Return

Remus Lupin was sitting quietly in his chambers at Hogwarts, looking over the notes left him by the previous year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It was unusual, to say the least, to be returning to Hogwarts after such a long absence. It was also somewhat uncomfortable, given that the entire student body (and their parents, by extension) knew of his "condition."

"It could have been much worse…" he thought to himself…and then turned back to his notes with a vengeance to quickly dismiss the thought.

It had been seven years since he had run away. Seven years since his secret had been so vindictively revealed by Severus Snape. A very long time by anyone's calculations. He did not know any of the students…Harry and the others had graduated just over three years before. Even young Ginny Weasley had moved on the following year. There was no one here from the last time he had taught the class.

"Probably just as well," he sighed heavily, rubbing his tired eyes with his hand and leaning back in his comfortable chair. 

A knock on the door shook him from his reverie. He got up and walked towards the door, opening it cautiously, ever mindful of Peeves and his pranks.

"Good evening, Remus. I trust that you have settled into your chambers?" Severus Snape stood there, holding a goblet full of the smoking Wolfsbane Potion upon which Remus was so dependent.

"Come in, Severus," Remus opened the door wider in invitation, "As you can see, it does not take me long to unpack my things and…settle myself, as you put it."

Severus followed Remus into the room and looked around in curiosity. 

"How long will you let yourself live in this self-imposed poverty, Remus?" he asked quietly, handing the other man the goblet.

"I do not deserve my parents' fortune," Remus replied quietly, taking a few sips of the potion and gasping at how awful it tasted.

"None of this is your fault," Severus sat down on a nearby stool and looked at his colleague in concern. 

"It's a funny thing for you to say that to me when I almost killed you so many years ago," Remus sat down on his chair and continued sipping from the smoking goblet, grimacing each time he took a sip.

Severus looked rather awkward.

"As I said, that was not your fault. Much has happened since then. You saved me from Wormtail…saved me when I thought no one could…when no one should…" Severus stared into the empty fireplace.

Remus drained the goblet and handed it back to Severus, who accepted it silently.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked Severus, who was now staring into the goblet.

"I don't know. After all this time, I still don't know," Severus muttered.

Remus smirked quietly, "Is it not enough to know that I have never considered you an enemy? Must you always question it when someone does something for you? You are not under any obligation to me, you know."

Severus looked up at him and Remus was surprised to see how pale his colleague had become in the past few years.

Perhaps that should not have surprised him so much.

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***********Flashback*********************

Remus and Dumbledore had been meeting quietly for several months now as the Order of the Phoenix grew in strength and numbers. Remus' role was vital…gathering information about recruiting activities among the pro-Death Eater families and coordinating "deprogramming" of their children before they could acquire the Dark Mark. Because, as everyone knew, it was almost impossible to change a person once they had been branded by Voldemort himself.

Almost impossible…the only one who had, had been Severus Snape.

"Peter Pettigrew has grown jealous of the favour that has been shown to Severus for his various reports on our supposed activities," Dumbledore sighed as he sipped a mug of hot chocolate, "I am afraid he will do something imprudent as a means of achieving revenge."

Remus looked to his former teacher and employer in some amazement.

"Do you believe Severus to be in any danger?" he asked the older wizard.

Setting the mug down carefully on a nearby table, Dumbledore sighed. "I do not know, Remus, and that is what worries me."

"Do you wish me to speak to him?"

"He might not wish to speak to you," Dumbledore replied with a curious look in his eyes.

"I am well aware of that fact," Remus muttered, looking away towards the bookshelf.

"He is the sort of person who nurses grudges for a very long time. His life and your life are remarkably similar. Both you and he were deprived of normal childhoods. You, because of your unfortunate encounter in the forest. Severus, because his parents began molding him from the moment he was born…to the point where even he does not know who he truly is…even now." 

Remus nodded…he had always known that Severus resented the fact that his parents had forced him to become a Death Eater. He had always felt that his childhood foe became a spy for Dumbledore in the hopes of being killed…either by Voldemort himself or by a group of Aurors. Moody had certainly come close once.

"Go to his chambers, Remus. Try to talk to him. He is a member of our group as well and I am very concerned that his role as a spy could be undermined by Pettigrew and then he would be in very real danger," Dumbledore stood up and walked over to Remus, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Please…try to talk to him. I am very concerned but he does not listen to me," the older man sighed in frustration.

Remus stood up and walked over to the door to Dumbledore's office.

"I will do what I can."

Closing the door behind him, Remus hurried over to where Severus' chambers were, deep in the dank and musty dungeons of Hogwarts.

"How can anyone live down here?" he thought to himself as he knocked on the imposing dark oak door.

There was no answer.

For a moment, Remus wished that he had the Marauders Map with him so that he could quickly discover where Severus had sequestered himself. That being impossible, he did the next best thing…a locating spell.

The purple mist that emanated from his wand began to coalesce and the image of The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade came up. Summoning his broom, Remus quickly took off for the popular pub, thinking that he might indulge in a glass of spiked pumpkin juice if all went well.

He arrived in about fifteen minutes and, after transfiguring his broom into an old-fashioned lighter and placing it in his robes pocket, he walked into the pub. Severus, as was his want, was sitting by himself in front of the fireplace, staring into the flickering flames. Remus was about to walk over to him when he noticed a hooded figure approach the Potions Master and whisper something in his ear. Severus nodded, almost imperceptibly, and rose from the chair. After dropping a few coins on the counter for Rosmerta, he quickly followed the hooded figure out of The Three Broomsticks. 

Remus followed as discreetly as he could…his heightened senses certainly an advantage in tracking someone as singular as Severus. He recognized the scent of the hooded figure immediately…it was Peter Pettigrew. He watched as the two mounted their brooms and took off. Returning his own broom to its original form, Remus followed after them at a comfortable distance.

"What I would not give for an Invisibility Cloak," he thought to himself as he kept his eyes trained on the flying pair so far ahead of him.

After flying for some time, Remus noticed that they were descending towards a small clearing in the forest. This was good, because the trees surrounding the clearing would offer him cover, as he got closer to them. He hovered just above the leafy canopy as he watched the two men dismount.

"What do you want, Wormtail?" Severus drawled in a deliberately neutral voice.

Wormtail grinned maniacally, "I am here to make you an offer."

"What makes you think I am interested in dealing with mudspawn such as yourself."

Wormtail bristled with rage but, with effort, managed to keep the mechanical smile in place.

"I know all about you, Severus."

Remus could see that Severus blanched for just a moment before recovering himself.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Severus replied, his voice betraying nothing.

Wormtail sidled closer to Severus, leering at him.

"I know you are playing the Dark Lord for an idiot. You are a spy. A spy for that old fool, Dumbledore. You are a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Do you know what that means?"

"Enlighten me," Severus retorted sarcastically.

"It means you are a dead man once the Dark Lord finds out…if he finds out."

"I'm listening although I am not admitting to these ridiculous charges."

"Don't try to lie to me, Severus. I know all about your meetings and how you saved Potter's life last year when Lucius Malfoy had captured him. I know all about how you managed to persuade Lucius' son, Draco, not to join the Dark Lord's ranks. I know how you have been working with the Mudblood and the muggle-loving Weasley on a variety of healing potions, specifically to restore a person's sanity after being prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus Curse. A pity you did not find that potion in time to help the Longbottoms," Wormtail whispered hatefully.

Remus closed his eyes suddenly in pain. Ron had told him the entire story. Ron, Hermione and Severus had developed such a potion and had gone to St. Mungo's in the hopes of restoring Neville's parents to normal…to finally find out what had happened and who was really responsible for their torture. When they arrived at the padded room, they had been sickened to see that both had been killed…slaughtered…there had been blood everywhere. Someone had callously dipped a finger in their spilled blood and had written on the wall…"Too Late…You Will Be Next." Ron had said he had never seen Severus look so ill…and Severus had seen many awful things. 

"You are a fool, Wormtail," Severus spat on the ground.

"Perhaps, dear friend, but I do have all the proof I require to guarantee you a most painful death."

"Not that I would wish to deprive you of such an obviously amusing prospect, but what are you proposing as an alternative?"

"I want the Mudblood."

Remus felt white-hot rage grow inside his heart and looked at Severus. If it were possible for Severus to turn even paler, he did so.

"No!" Severus exclaimed in a hoarse voice.

"You have no choice, Severus," Wormtail wheedled, "Give me the little Mudblood. I promise not to harm her too much…not visibly at least. I only wish to have a little fun with her, pay her back for some rather uncalled for treatment on her part."

"You are insane, Wormtail," Severus hissed, an expression of utter loathing on his face. " I will not just hand her over to you so that you can torture and rape her."

"You make that sound rather terrible. She is a Mudblood. That is all she is good for," Wormtail spat hatefully.

Remus angrily drew his wand, an ugly expression on his face…an expression of bloodlust.

"I would rather die first," Severus muttered darkly.

"That can be arranged," Wormtail lashed out unexpectedly at Severus with his metallic arm, hitting him in the back of the head and causing him to fall to the ground, unconscious.

"You arrogant fool!" Wormtail cackled insanely as he pointed his wand at the prone figure, " I will kill you first and then I will grab the little Mudblood and enjoy her again and again until I tire of her. Her screams will be a most delightful music to my ears and I hope you will be able to hear her…from hell! So, you see, dear friend, I get to win after all."

Remus knew that Wormtail was about to cast a Killing Curse on Severus and, without a moment's hesitation, blindly urged his broom forward at breakneck speed. He barreled into his opponent's back; causing Wormtail to fall, face first, into the ground. 

Before he could get up, Remus launched a Full Body Bind curse on the smaller man and summoned his wand away from him. He was breathing heavily, every instinct screaming at him to kill the Death Eater on the ground…destroy him as he had destroyed so many others…

Willing himself to calm down somewhat, Remus kicked at him, rather violently, in order to turn him over so that he was looking upwards.

"No, mudspawn," Remus growled in a dangerous voice…a voice laced with the threat of death, "you do not get to win."

Wormtail's eyes opened wide with horror but Remus left him on the ground to attend to Severus, blood still pounding in his ears as he assisted the unconscious man. He tried to get him into a somewhat seated position and slapped him lightly on the face. Slowly, Severus' eyes began to open.

"What…what happened?" he asked Remus groggily.

"You were very brave. Stupid, but brave," Remus said quietly.

Severus' eyes grew wide as he remembered what had just happened.

"Where is he?" 

"He's over there. Don't worry. He is not going anywhere anytime soon. I have made sure of that."

Severus looked over to where Wormtail lay on the ground.

"He wanted to…"

"I know."

"I couldn't do that."

"I know that too, Severus."

"He was going to kill me."

"You are still here."

"Thanks to you," Severus looked up at him, "despite the fact I did not deserve it."

"You were willing to sacrifice yourself for her…that, in itself, shows that you did."

"I could do no less. She is my friend."

"As I am, Severus."

Severus looked at him with tired eyes, hooded with hidden pain.

"Yes, Remus. Yes, you are."

***************End of Flashback*****************

"Besides," Remus continued, "you have always ensured that I never lacked for the Wolfsbane Potion, no matter where I found myself. That, in itself, proves that you have changed and are worthy. And you helped me bring Wormtail to Azkaban…thereby exonerating Sirius."

Severus sighed deeply. Then, as if finally remembering something, Severus reached into his robes pocket and pulled out a small piece of parchment.

"It seems we have a new Charms teacher," he commented quietly.

"Really? So Flitwick has decided to retire for good this time?" Remus smiled. It had been a running joke for years how Flitwick would announce his retirement at the end of the school year, only to turn up again at the next.

"It would appear so, Remus. This is a note from Minerva saying that they have found a replacement. She should be arriving tonight, actually."

"Who is it? I hope that it isn't Miss Delacoeur or Miss Chang. I know they each were interested in the position, should it ever become available, but I am not convinced that they can establish a good relationship with the students," Remus looked rather concerned.

"I don't think anyone has ever accused me of establishing good relationships with students," Severus chuckled.

Remus looked rather embarrassed.

"No offence taken, Remus. I am fully aware of what my students thought of me…and it was hardly complimentary."

"You have changed, Severus."

Severus smirked good-naturedly at his decidedly uncomfortable colleague.

"So, should I bother telling you who the newest Professor will be?"

"I would like to know," Remus answered.

Severus grinned, "Hermione Granger."

"What!?" Remus stood up quickly.

Severus looked at Remus in alarm. "Are you all right?"

"She…she is going to be here…teaching?" Remus stammered, his heart suddenly racing.

"That is generally the point to accepting a teaching assignment at Hogwarts."

"Severus, don't be a fool. I mean…she is going to be here…everyday."

"Should I bother telling you how foolish you are sounding? Of course she is going to be here everyday. What is the matter with you?"

Severus looked at his frantic colleague and, suddenly, the grin disappeared from his face.

"Remus?"

Remus did not look at him. He walked over to the window and opened it, gulping in the early evening air hungrily. The moon would be rising soon…

"I am sorry, Remus. I didn't realize that you still…"

"Don't say it," Remus whispered harshly, clinging to the window as if it were the only thing holding him up.

"Did you ever tell her?"

"Of course not."

"And you still…"

"Yes…yes…" Remus muttered, almost to himself.

Severus sighed. This was a situation with which he had very little experience. He had no advice to offer to his friend and, quite honestly, was at a bit of a loss as to what he should do. He stood up and walked over to where Remus was standing.

"Remus, are you sure you will be all right tomorrow?"

"Yes, thank you, Severus. The moon will be rising soon and it is probably best if you go."

Severus didn't move. "You have taken your potion. You will not be a danger to anyone. I thought you might like some company."

Remus shook his head. "I don't feel up to that. I just want to be alone tonight. There is much for me to think about. I appreciate your offer, Severus, but I must decline."

Severus nodded. He could well understand the need to be alone…to think…to prepare…

"Where will you…"

"I will go into the Forbidden Forest and, perhaps, by the lake. It will be quiet since the students have not arrived yet."

"I will see you in the morning. Good night, Remus. Take care of yourself."

"Good night, Severus, and…thank you," Remus turned to his friend. Severus was shocked to see such an expression of pain on his face but he knew that Remus earnestly wanted to be alone and so he left the room quickly and quietly, closing the door behind him.

Remus stared at the door for several moments, lost in his thoughts. She was coming back. How was he going to deal with that? Why had Minerva not told him that she was even being considered for the job?

Was she still as beautiful as in his memories? Did she remember…graduation…the very thought of that incident made his heart ache profoundly and he shuddered slightly. It had been over three years and it still…still what exactly? He was suddenly very nervous.

As he pondered these questions, he felt a familiar shivering in his bones and, as he turned once again to the window, he saw the full moon, beautiful and terrible, rising in the night sky. He moaned in anguish as the transformation began…skin stretching, bones lengthening and teeth changing into hideous fangs. Although he had become somewhat accustomed to the pain, it was still a horrendous thing to endure.

The werewolf that was Remus looked around the chamber and suddenly felt confined. 

"I must go outside," he thought to himself as he leapt through the open window and made his way to the ground.

As he raced towards the Forbidden Forest, he saw a horseless carriage approach Hogwarts. 

He ran even faster.

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	3. An Unfortunate Encounter

Come To You By Moonlight 3 __

Disclaimer: The plot belongs to me. Anything else belongs to JK Rowling with many thanks. 

****

Chapter Three: An Unfortunate Encounter

Hermione Granger stepped out of the horseless carriage and looked around her in relief. She was so glad to be here…so glad to be somewhere she considered to be home. It had been far too long since she had walked these sacred hallways…far too long indeed.

Knowing that her bags would be looked after by the house elves, she carefully lowered the hood of her cloak and breathed deeply.

"At least I know I will feel secure here," she sighed quietly.

She made her way to the huge entrance and waited. She did not have to wait long as it slowly opened, groaning as if it were not used to accepting guests, to reveal a beaming Minerva McGonagall.

"Good evening, Hermione," she walked over to embrace her prized student. Hermione returned the embrace warmly. The older woman had always been her favourite professor.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall." Hermione replied automatically.

"Now, now, Hermione. You are no longer a student. You are my colleague. You will address me as all my colleagues do…as Minerva," the older witch remonstrated gently as she released Hermione to look at her.

"You have grown a great deal since I saw you last. How long has it been?"

"Almost three and a half years," Hermione replied with a note of sadness.

"Such a long time. Why don't you come into my office and we can chat over a nice pot of tea?"

"That sounds lovely," Hermione smiled as she followed Minerva through the corridors of Hogwarts. The torches lit their way and, everywhere she looked, she saw places and objects that brought back vivid memories. For the most part, she smiled but, as she passed the portrait door entrance to the Gryffindor common room, there was a look of profound sadness on her face.

"That's where it happened," she thought bleakly and then turned to hurry after Minerva. She was rather thankful the Fat Lady wasn't in her portrait.

After a few more twists and turns and Hermione found herself at the entrance to Minerva's office. Drawing her wand, Minerva quickly cast an unlocking spell and, opening the door, invited Hermione to go in ahead of her. Closing the door, Minerva motioned to a pair of papasan chairs.

"Have a seat, my dear, and I will see to the tea."

Hermione settled herself in one of the chairs. They really were quite comfortable…the sort of chair you could read a book in…the sort of chair you could relax in, safe in the arms of someone who loved you….

"Cream and sugar, if I am not mistaken?"

Hermione was shaken out of her reverie by the question and murmured her thanks while accepting the proffered cup. Taking a sip, she felt the warmth of the beverage spread throughout her body and calm it somewhat.

"It is very good," she smiled at her former mentor.

Minerva smiled back but then her expression sobered somewhat.

"Hermione, I am really pleased that you decided to come back to Hogwarts…I always hoped you would…but are you all right?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are a lot thinner than I remember and much paler," Minerva said quietly, "And…I do know about what happened on the night of the graduation feast." 

Hermione was very proud of the fact that she did not drop the teacup on the ground. Willing herself to stop shaking like a frightened child, she looked up at Minerva.

"Nothing happened. Viktor simply picked a rather terrible time to tell me how he felt."

"Hermione, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I am not ashamed!" Hermione flared slightly.

"Is that why you suddenly decided to become an Auror?"

Hermione smiled grimly.

"That was the most difficult training available."

Minerva smiled, despite her best efforts. "You never were one to refuse a challenge."

"After the training, I decided that being an Auror was not the best use of my talents and so I accepted your generous offer."

Minerva sighed, taking a sip of her tea. "I always hoped that you would be able to come to me and talk about that incident."

"There is nothing to talk about because nothing happened," Hermione said, a little more firmly than was absolutely required.

"Well, thankfully, Viktor's true loyalties were discovered in time and he was sent to Azkaban. He was able to provide the evidence we needed to incriminate Lucius Malfoy on the many charges including the kidnapping of Harry and the conspiracy to murder him not to mention the fact that he testified that Wormtail was still alive, thereby clearing Sirius' name. Lucius is Azkaban's most famous inmate now. I am sure that Sirius was glad to relinquish that title to him of all people. Young Draco Malfoy must have been glad to have his father out of the way."

Hermione smiled slightly at that. Draco had been secretly working against his father for the year prior to the incident. To say that he was happy was an understatement. His mother immediately applied for a divorce and all Lucius' property was seized and transferred to his mother's name. Ecstatic would more accurately describe Draco's feelings.

Hoping to draw the subject away to different waters, Hermione forced herself to smile.

"So, who did you manage to procure for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post this year? I understand that the vampire you had hired last year was too afraid of impalement to return."

Minerva laughed, "The poor dear was practically frantic because of those final year Slytherins last year. They told her that they were going to decapitate her and stuff her head with garlic. Any vampire worth their salt would take exception to that."

"I suppose so," Hermione said, still with the forced smile on her face.

"In any event," Minerva continued after a sip of her tea, " we did manage to get a most qualified candidate for the position."

"Who?" Hermione asked, despite herself.

"Remus Lupin," Minerva declared proudly.

Hermione blanched in astonishment.

"He has taught the class before and he was a class favourite, if I remember correctly," Minerva continued, not noticing Hermione's increasing pallor. "Besides, with his work within the Order of the Phoenix, as you well know, this is the perfect excuse for him to be near Headmaster Dumbledore. It really is perfect."

"Yes," Hermione answered in a hollow voice, "Just perfect…"

She dropped the cup of tea onto the floor, where it crashed loudly, while she slumped forward and fell off the chair in a dead faint.

Minerva was out of her seat in a flash. She quickly levitated Hermione's limp form back onto the chair and checked her forehead for any bruises or bumps. She seemed all right, just very pale. 

"Hermione! Wake up, dear. Hermione! Wake up," Minerva conjured a cooling spell and a light blue mist emanated from her wand and settled onto the younger woman's forehead. Within moments, Hermione's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh, my dear girl. You gave me quite a scare. Are you all right? Should I call Madame Pomfrey?" Minerva asked nervously as she conjured a glass of cold water for Hermione to sip.

Hermione shook her head. "No, that will not be necessary. I'm sorry. I…I didn't have anything to eat today…I was so nervous about coming here again and I guess I got a little light-headed," she hoped Minerva wouldn't see through her fabricated story. 

Minerva patted her hand affectionately. "You shouldn't be so nervous…we are all so happy to have you here. Even Severus had to agree that you were the best choice for the job so that should be affirmation enough for you."

Hermione smiled weakly and sipped the water, feeling the cold liquid flow down her throat and into her stomach.

_"If only it could make my heart freeze as well," she thought bitterly._

She half-listened to Minerva talk about the curriculum for the coming year (with which she was already intimately familiar) and about plans for a special Yule Ball for the students in mid December as the older witch tidied up the broken teacup pieces and made the spilled tea disappear. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Hermione stood up and held out the now empty glass.

"I am still not feeling well…I think I will take a short walk to clear my head and then head straight up to bed."

"That sounds like a good idea, my dear. It is a warm night and the students have yet to arrive so it will be peaceful. You could walk by the lake and say hello to the squid."

Hermione smiled at the thought.

"Thank you, Minerva and I do apologize for my silliness."

"As far as I am concerned, that was not silliness…well, except for the part about not eating," Minerva admonished gently, her eyes twinkling.

"Good night, Minerva," Hermione said, not without difficulty at calling her former teacher by her first name.

"Good night, Hermione. Pleasant dreams."

Hermione opened the door to the office and closed it behind her, looking down the corridor she knew would lead her to a side entrance. She started walking.

The night air was still warm but there was a bite to it, as if to remind her that autumn was not that far off. She breathed it all in deeply as she walked along the path to the lake…trying to calm her heart.

She couldn't believe that he, of all people, was teaching here…this year. How was she going to face him? It had been over three years since that incident…

Unconsciously, her fingers moved to her lips as her heart leaped painfully in her chest.

Damn him!!

What was the matter with her? She had to get past this if she was going to be able to get through this year. If only Minerva had told her earlier…had mentioned that he was even being considered for the post. The thought of seeing him everyday, sitting near him at each meal…well, it was a strange combination of pleasure and ethereal pain.

What was she going to do? 

"Hermione!" a voice called out from the Forbidden Forest.

Hermione looked around but saw no one…the voice sounded familiar but she could not place it…it was odd…blurred…almost like an echo.

"Who is there?" she asked nervously, looking around but seeing nothing.

"Hermione!" the voice called again. It sounded plaintive.

"Where are you?" she cried out.

"Come into the forest!" 

Hermione, feeling that the voice was in some terrible danger, ran headlong through the trees, trying to follow the direction of the voice.

"Where are you?" she cried out again, practically tripping over the roots of the large trees. The branches were hitting her in the face and grabbing at her clothing as she raced by. She felt the fabric rip several times but didn't stop. That voice was compelling her to continue…to hurry…

"Please hurry, Hermione. I need you," the voice cried out.

"I'm coming!" she shouted, hoping desperately that she was going in the right direction. She was no longer thinking rationally…all she thought about was the voice.

"I'm almost there," she panted as exhaustion was starting to catch up to her, "Hang on…I'll be there soon!"

"Hurry, Hermione!"

She ran deeper and deeper into the forest, not thinking about the many dangers, just concentrating on that voice that was calling to her.

She pushed her way through a particularly dense thicket of bushes when she suddenly found herself in a small clearing. There was something bright in the center of the clearing…she had to shade her eyes against it momentarily.

The light was coming from an illuminated figure. It was a man…not a very tall man, dressed in robes of silvery white…they gleamed almost painfully.

He turned to face her and she gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in absolute shock. 

"You!" she breathed, her heart racing.

The figure walked over to where she was standing. She could not move…she was completely transfixed.

"Yes, Hermione. It is I. I have waited for you to come back to me…to forgive me…"

"But this…this is impossible…tonight…"

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She nearly swooned from the intimate contact between their bodies. 

"I have wanted you for a very long time," he said in a deliciously silky voice that sent tingles down her spine.

"I…I …" she felt so uncertain as she saw the hunger in those enigmatic eyes. This felt like a dream.

"No talking," he said gently and then, tilting her head upwards, he brushed his lips softly against hers.

She moaned quietly, closed her eyes and then pulled him closer to herself.

"Please," she whispered, "don't push me away this time."

He fully claimed her mouth this time, forcing his tongue into her mouth as she nearly cried with desire. She wanted him so badly. Deliriously, she felt his tongue explore her mouth and leisurely trace over the tops of her teeth and delicately touch the roof of her mouth. She felt luscious sensations spread throughout her body in rippling waves…oh, this was heaven…

But, something was wrong…she was becoming tired…very tired. It felt as if her energy was being drained.

She opened her eyes and nearly cried out. What she saw was a monster, a monster that was going to destroy her. It had wavy white hair, streaked with black and its eyes glared balefully at her…they were blood red. The skin was deathly pale. She feebly tried to break the killing kiss but her energy was so depleted that she could not do it. Her head started spinning and her vision started to blur.

__

"I'm going to die," she thought to herself in a panic, "and I can't do anything to stop it."

A single tear spilled onto her cheek as her knees started to shake…

__

"I'll never be able to tell him…" she thought as the images in her mind became more unfocussed and her breathing became heavier and much more cumbersome.

And then, suddenly, she heard a furious howl and she found herself falling to the ground with a soft thud. She simply lay there, as she felt her strength slowly returning…felt each breath lighten somewhat. There were the sounds of a terrible battle nearby but that did not matter…not yet. There was a vicious keening wail, which hurt her ears and there was an angry snarling and howling that somehow reassured her.

__

"I have to open my eyes," she thought to herself. But it seemed like an awful lot of work…especially when she considered the awful things she might see.

But then, there was silence. An eerie sort of silence. The silence of death.

__

"I have to open my eyes," she thought to herself and, with a huge effort, managed to open them slightly.

Her vision was very unfocussed but, as she kept them open, she managed to slightly make out her surroundings.

The shining figure was nowhere to be seen and the clearing was quite dark. The only light that came in was from the light of the moon. She turned to her side and saw the monstrous being that had tried to take her life. It was dead, slashed viciously across the neck and chest. There did not appear to be any blood anywhere. The sight of it made her quite ill and she closed her eyes and turned her head quickly to the other side.

She felt someone pick her up gently and hold her close to their chest. There was great strength in those arms and she suddenly had the feeling that she was safe. She nestled closer, nestled into the warmth of fur that was not so very soft but rather rough…somewhat bristly. There was a scent of pine and musk…pleasant…very pleasant.

"Whatever you are," she murmured, "thank you for saving me."

She felt something nuzzle her forehead gently and would have giggled if she had not felt so tired.

She felt her mind slip in and out of focus. She felt herself falling…falling…falling. And then she wasn't falling anymore. She managed to open her eyes again slightly and there was a face looking at her. She could not make out any details in the darkness except the eyes…eyes, which looked at her with concern and…with something more?

"I've seen those eyes before," she thought to herself before losing consciousness.


	4. An Unwilling Confession

Come To You By Moonlight 4 **__**

Disclaimer: The plot belongs to me. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling with many thanks. 

****

Chapter Four: An Unwilling Confession

Remus was exhausted. Normally tired after his regular transformation, the previous night's events had utterly drained him. 

"It almost killed her," he thought to himself in horror as he put on the clothes that he had left in a bundle behind a tree the previous morning. It never hurt to think ahead.

He had been lurking through the Forbidden Forest, feeling very nervous and edgy. He knew she was here and the thought made him feel anxious.

"How is she going to react when she sees me? Will she hate me?" his tortured thoughts were making him mad, not mindful of where he was going.

Then he had heard a voice calling Hermione…a strange voice. The voice kept calling her, urging her to come quickly. There was the stench of Dark Magic present that made his hackles rise. But, before he could do anything, she had appeared and, for the longest moment, he had been mesmorized.

She had grown…matured into a young woman. The child he had left behind over three years ago had been replaced by a woman…a woman who was as beautiful as he had remembered. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as her scent wafted over him…vanilla and strawberries.

He watched as she approached the figure and, when the figure turned around, he was startled to see who it was…and immediately knew she was in danger…mortal danger.

He was already hurtling towards them when the figure embraced her, kissed her and began to change into the monster that it was. As he got closer, he could see that Hermione was weakening dangerously. He lunged at the figure, breaking the contact and causing her to fall to the ground.

The monster began to wail in disappointment but Remus was beyond caring about anything. He was filled with a berzerker's rage and began slashing at the creature with his razor sharp claws…again and again, until the figure fell to the ground, utterly vanquished. It had barely put up a fight. Clearly, it was not the sort of creature used to a victim who mounted a struggle.

Breathing hard from the exertion, he walked over to where Hermione lay still and, for one awful moment, he thought he had been too late. He kneeled next to her and was relieved to see the slight rise and fall of her chest. She moved her head and saw the dead creature. Closing her eyes quickly, she bumped against his knee. Gingerly, he picked her up and held her close to his chest, gasping slightly as she nestled into his warmth.

She had thanked him for saving her. She was not afraid even though she clearly could not tell who or what he was. He allowed himself to nuzzle her forehead gently and she smiled faintly. She then lost consciousness again and he quickly brought her to the entrance of the infirmary, knocking loudly then disappearing before anyone could see him.

He had spent the rest of the night by the lake…thinking…remembering.

Mostly remembering.

He barely had the strength to stagger into his chamber, intent only on sleeping the entire day. 

"Good morning, Remus," Severus Snape was standing by the window in his room, startling Remus.

"What are you doing here, Severus?" he asked, eyes watching him carefully.

"I have just come from the infirmary," Severus traced a finger idly along the frame of the window. He stopped and looked directly at Remus. "Did you know that Hermione Granger was attacked last night?"

Remus started violently. Severus pretended not to notice and continued.

"Apparently she had been talking with Minerva, chatting over a cup of tea when she suddenly fainted. When she regained consciousness, she assured Minerva that she was all right and told her that she would go for a walk in order to clear her head. She apparently was heading towards the lake when she heard a voice calling her, drawing her deep into the Forbidden Forest…where she was attacked."

"By what?" Remus asked shakily, making his way to his chair, and sitting down rather heavily.

"She was attacked by a succubus…vile things that take on the form of someone the person trusts and then kisses them, draining them of their life force until there is none left."

Remus' eyes widened in alarm.

"But…she…she is all right…isn't she?" he asked, fear gripping his heart.

Severus looked at him curiously. "Yes, she will be fine. A funny thing, this incident. She insists that there was another creature that saved her and brought her to the entrance of the infirmary. Given her condition, she was unable to remember what sort of creature it was but she was able to give a detailed description of one vital part."

"What was that?" Remus looked towards the empty fireplace.

Severus started walking deliberately towards him.

"She said the creature had warm amber coloured eyed. Very unusual, don't you agree? In fact, I can only think of one creature that has amber coloured eyes." Severus sat down on the chair next to Remus and suddenly looked less severe and much more compassionate. "Tell me what happened, Remus. I know it was you. It's time you told me everything."

Remus looked at him with tears in his eyes.

"She…she doesn't know that it was me, does she?" he asked in a small voice.

"No, no one else suspects anything…they think it is just a hallucination on her part. As if she could ever hallucinate something like that. I will not tell her. That is up to you. However, you have to tell me what happened the night of graduation."

Remus shifted in his chair uncomfortably.

"Tell me or I will be forced to administer Veritaserum," Severus said seriously.

Remus looked at him in horror.

"It…it happened the night she graduated…"

__

****Flashback******

The graduation ceremony had been lovely. Harry had asked Remus to attend and had refused to take no for an answer.

"You were one of the best professors I had here..you absolutely have to be here," the young man had argued. "Besides, since my Mom and Dad can't be here and neither can Sirius…well, not in his human form, I at least want you there…you're part of my family too."

Remus could not say no to that…especially given his memories of his own family. So he attended, despite huge misgivings.

Everyone was there…the Weasleys were overflowing with pride at Ron, who had been the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team for the past two years. Remus was happy to see that Ron's brothers (and sister) were willingly giving him his own moment in the limelight. He certainly deserved it.

Remus noticed that Harry was holding Ginny's hand and smiled somewhat sadly. Harry was growing up too…looking more and more like his father. Ironic that he would fall in love with someone who resembled Lily. There was a muggle saying that history repeated itself.

Looking around, he noticed Hermione for the first time and his heart began to beat more quickly. She was standing next to Ron, holding a goblet of pumpkin juice and just listening to the conversation of her friends…her mind clearly elsewhere. 

"By the stars…she is easily the most beautiful woman here tonight," he thought to himself before he could stop himself.

She laughed at something that Fred Weasley said, but the laugh did not reach her eyes. Something was wrong. She was holding something back.

"I am sorry to have to call it a night but I have a lot to do tomorrow morning. It was lovely to see you all and we will chat tomorrow morning about summer arrangements," she said to her friends, hugging each of them briefly before heading out of the Great Hall. She passed by him so quickly, she didn't even notice he was there. 

But she had not passed so quickly that he did not see the tears in her eyes.

Debating with himself for a few moments, Remus finally decided to follow her. He reasoned that she would most likely go to the Gryffindor common room and hurried there.

Hastily giving The Fat Lady the password Harry had told him, Remus quickly scrambled through the portrait door and found himself in the comfortable, familiar surroundings of the common room.

"It hasn't changed much," he thought to himself.

Remus quickly scanned the room and found Hermione, sitting with her head in her hands, in front of the empty fireplace. He approached her cautiously.

"Hermione?" he called quietly, not wishing to startle her.

She quickly looked up in surprise, trying to wipe away the evidence of her crying.

He sat down beside her. "I…I came by to make sure you were all right."

"I'm just fine," she snapped…and then relented, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean…"

"Don't fret about that," he patted her hand awkwardly, trying to ignore how smooth her skin was.

"Viktor," she breathed out the name quietly.

Ah yes. He remembered that Hermione and Viktor had been dating for quite some time. Becoming quite a serious relationship if the gossipmongers were correct.

"He's been having an affair with Fleur Delacour for over a year. Told me so tonight…by owl…that he is marrying her. Told me that my inability to land him a position here at Hogwarts was frustrating his career aspirations. Told me that he was not a high enough priority in my life…especially since I refused to transfer to Durmstrang. Told me all this on the night of my graduation. I haven't…I haven't been able to tell anyone…I feel so used…"

Hermione was weeping openly and Remus, without thinking, pulled her into a warm embrace in an effort to calm her. Her arms automatically went around him, face resting against his chest. He hoped she wouldn't think that his heart racing had anything to do with her being so close.

"He said that the only reason he stayed with me was…was…" she said in a strained voice, holding him slightly tighter.

"It is going to be all right, Hermione." Remus felt such cold hatred for someone who could treat her so callously. She deserved so much better.

"He said that I wasn't desirable…that I was cold to him." She mumbled into his chest.

"You know that is not true."

She looked up at him.

"How do I know that? Viktor has been the only person, over the past three years, to show some interest in me. It's not as if I expected Harry or Ron to drop at my feet. They are my friends…dear friends, but friends nonetheless. And now I find out that Viktor has been having a cozy relationship with Ms Delacour and has only kept me hanging on in the hopes getting a position at Hogwarts," she spat out hatefully.

Remus held her tightly, wishing he could ease her obvious pain.

"You are a special person," he murmured into her hair, trying to calm the not-so-innocent feelings coursing through his body.

"No one has ever said that to me," she whispered in a choked voice, "not even Viktor…"

He pulled away to look at her tear-stained face, her quivering lips and the expression of utter self-loathing that he found all too familiar. Pushing away a few stray strands of hair, he smiled awkwardly at her.

"You have always been a special person to me, Hermione. You kept my secret back in your third year, even though you knew how potentially dangerous I was. You remained my friend even after you saw…well, after that."

"You are not a monster," she said shyly, looking down at her hands.

"Hermione, look at me," he placed a hand under her chin and gently forced her to look at him. "Don't let anyone ever tell you that you are not…special. You are…very much so."

She looked at him intensely. There was something in that expression of abject pain that called to him. It called to the loneliness that had always lived in his heart…a heart that he had stubbornly forbidden to love.

However, his heart appeared to have a mind of its own.

"You are special to me," he repeated in a very quiet voice.

He was never quite sure who moved first. It could have been him. It could have been her. It really did not matter. What mattered was that their lips met and he found himself unable and, quite honestly, unwilling to hold himself back from her. Tentative at first, their kisses grew more and more desperate, deeper and longer…bruising…as their passion grew and their pent-up feelings came to the surface.

He leaned her back gently on the chesterfield, holding her tightly against him, kissing her madly. She did not protest, did not say a single word to dissuade him. She simply held onto him as if he were the only thing left to her in the world, her body moving against his in ways that were artless and yet very deliberate…eliciting a reaction he could not hide.

He wound his hands in her luxurious hair, feeling the sensuality of its caress against his skin. He pressed against her meaningfully, listening to her sighs with fierce pleasure, wanting nothing more than to envelop himself in her warmth. He had never felt anything like this before…he felt as if he were drowning in her.

But somewhere, through the maelstrom of emotions and feelings and sheer physical longing, somewhere there was a voice of reason that Remus could not ignore. It was an urgent voice telling him to stop…stop now…stop before she got hurt.

"She's only a child! She trusts you. Look how you are abusing that trust!!" his conscience screamed at him.

He pulled back from her fevered embraces as gently as he could, his heart still pounding, his body still craving her warmth…

"Why…why are…what have I done wrong?" she looked at him with eyes full of insecurity and fearful longing.

Remus turned away from her, ashamed of himself…of his weakness…of his failure…

"You have done nothing wrong," he said unsteadily. "It is I who have failed you miserably, taking advantage of your vulnerability for my own purposes."

"Remus, I…" she interrupted.

"No," he said, standing up and facing her, "I will not be the means by which you lose your innocence. You are a child, Hermione. You have your entire life ahead of you. I am a monster…an evil blight on the world…not to be trusted and certainly not to be…desired."

She stood up and reached over to touch his cheek…an action, which made him shudder. "No, you don't understand…" she started.

He gently removed her hand from his cheek. He looked at her sorrowfully, " I let the beast within me take control and I had vowed that would never happen."

"Remus, please listen to me…" she pleaded, tears filling her eyes.

He shook his head, "I'm so sorry…"

He got up and ran off blindly before she could say anything, ignoring her frantic pleas to come back.

Ignoring the fact that he had left her as he had found her.

Crying.

*********End of Flashback**********

"And so you ran away?" Severus asked.

"What else could I do? Rape her?"

"I am no judge on morality, Remus but, from what you have told me, it seems that it was consensual."

"She was hurt. She had been rejected in a callous fashion and she was in a great deal of emotional pain. She saw me as a means of somehow alleviating that pain…saw me as a means of vindicating herself," Remus muttered sadly.

"Do you really think so?" Severus asked.

"Of course I do. Besides, she is probably married by now."

"As a matter of fact, and I have this on good authority, she has immersed herself in her studies since leaving Hogwarts. Harry and Ron complained to me on several occasions that they rarely saw her."

Remus smirked, "I never thought I would see the day when Harry or Ron would come to you with their problems."

"They were worried about her…were inquiring about the possibility of administering the Potion of Dreamless Sleep so that she could get enough rest. She became very thin at one point…hardly eating. Thankfully, she has recovered somewhat although, given what I know now, I don't know how she will react when she discovers you are here."

"I am sure Minerva gave her the happy news," Remus remarked sarcastically, "And I suppose the letter of resignation will be on her desk sometime today."

"Hermione isn't one to give up that easily," Severus countered, "Don't forget…she had me as a professor for seven years. I was the one to give in and admit that she had talent."

"Imagine that," Remus muttered.

Severus got up and stood by the fireplace.

"Remus, you have to tell her what happened last night."

"No!" Remus shouted, placing his head in his hands.

"She has a right to know!" Severus yelled.

"She does not need to feel that she is under any sort of obligation to me. You are under no obligation to me for having saving your life. She should be allowed the same luxury."

Severus stormed up to his friend, resisting the urge to shake some sense into his thick skull.

"You are the most frustrating man on the face of the earth…with the possible exception of Sirius Black! You love her! After all this time, you still love her. It is not just some physical attraction, I have always known you were deeper than that. You love her…body and soul. Why can you not admit it?"

"What is to be gained by my admitting to that? I am evil…I am forbidden from ever loving or being loved just by the very nature of the beast that I am. I…I…" Remus faltered as he put his hands down and stared at them.

"You are frightened that you could hurt her. Is that it?" Severus asked gently.

"I already have," Remus whispered.

"That is not what I meant and you know it, Remus. You are afraid that you will forget to take your Wolfsbane Potion, that you will somehow transform one night and put her in danger. You are afraid that she will become what you are."

Remus looked up at him and Severus was taken aback by the look of bleak sadness in his eyes.

"I will not tell her. And you must not either."

"It is not for me to tell her although I wish you would reconsider."

"No," Remus said quietly.

"Do you love her?"

Remus looked up at Severus, at eyes filled with compassion. There was no loathing or harsh condemnation…simply an understanding of sorts.

"Yes, Severus," he sighed in resignation, "I do. I love her. With everything I am."

Severus regarded his friend carefully. 

"When did you start loving her?" Severus asked quietly.

"The first moment I laid eyes on her…a child of thirteen…beautiful, intelligent, loyal and with the most loving and giving heart I have ever known," Remus replied, a small smile playing on his face. "I remember how she looked at me in awe after I had banished the Dementor. That look of adoration…I had never seen anyone look at me like that. We talked briefly as I tried to revive Harry. She thanked me…kissed me on the cheek…no one had ever thanked me before either. No one…no one had ever kissed me…not since…that night in the forest. Not even my mother."

"She is no longer a child of thirteen. She is almost 21, if I remember correctly," Severus commented.

Remus turned to him in surprise.

"Can I ask you a question?" Severus inquired, deliberately ignoring Remus' reaction.

"Of course," Remus replied.

"Why do you think she never told anyone about your "condition" during her third year? Why do you think she accepted your comfort that night, knowing all the time what you were?"

Remus raised his eyebrows and blushed somewhat.

"She cannot possibly…she was only feeling hurt…don't try to manipulate me into doing something both she and I will regret," Remus snapped.

"Why did she keep your secret?" Severus repeated.

"I don't know."

Severus crossed his arms over his chest in a pose of triumph.

"Then, my friend, I would suggest that you ask her."


	5. The Sorting Feast

Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot **__**

Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling with many thanks.

****

Chapter Five: The Sorting Feast

Hermione only spent a couple of days in the infirmary, being tended to by Madam Pomfrey. Thankfully, this forced isolation had the added benefit of not having to be around…other professors. It also gave her time to think about how she was going to handle the situation.

_"I have to act as if nothing happened," she thought to herself as she sat in her own chambers, sipping a glass of a special pumpkin cordial Severus (how odd it was to be calling all her former professors by their first name) had concocted for her. _

Tonight was the Sorting Feast and the students would be arriving shortly. Minerva had asked her to look after the sorting of the students and had given her the parchment roll with all the names of the new first years. To say she was nervous would have been a gross understatement. It was bad enough that she would be sitting at the same table…but to be in such a prominent position…in front of everyone. To think that he would be watching her…she needed a brandy, not this pumpkin cordial.

She glanced over the names on the parchment and sighed. There were no Weasleys, no Grangers, no Potters and no Malfoys. It was actually quite odd…hard to imagine a Hogwarts without Harry…without Ron…without Draco…without…

No, she could no longer dwell on the past. She had to move on. She had to show that she had gotten over him…over the incident.

Even if, in reality, she hadn't.

"Damn him," she muttered under her breath as she left her chambers, parchment in hand and looking particularly murderous.

"My dear Hermione," Severus' voice sounded beside her, "You look as if you are ready to hex someone."

"Perhaps I am," she responded sullenly, turning to face him.

The Potions Master smirked. "Now, we do not want to frighten away the first years before they get sorted."

Sighing, Hermione smiled somewhat at her former professor. He did have a point.

"I am still not feeling particularly well," which was the truth…in a way.

"Yes, I suppose some things take time from which to recover," he commented casually.

She glanced at him in surprise but his gaze remained annoyingly neutral.

"Some things take forever," she replied quietly, turning away from him.

She did not see the slight smile threatening to turn up the corners of his mouth. He simply held out his right arm.

"Come. I will escort you to the Great Hall," he said in a mockingly pompous tone.

Hermione looked at him suspiciously.

"I just want to be certain you make it there without damaging anything…or anyone," he smirked good-naturedly.

Hermione laughed, all the bitterness temporarily replaced by a sense of mirth and the amazing realization that he had been capable of making her laugh.

"By all means, kind sir, I accept your gracious offer," she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and they proceeded along the corridor. Would wonders never cease?

"I understand that you were in favor of my appointment here," she commented.

He smiled at her, "Hermione, I know that I was a most…exacting professor…"

Hermione chuckled softly, "That was not the word I would have used."

Severus smirked, "No, I suppose any word you would have used to describe me would have required censorship."

Hermione nodded, still chuckling. "Please continue, Severus."

"I have always recognized talent and you had talent and I knew you would be an excellent teacher. You had the gift for it…just look at how much you helped Longbottom. When you went off to become an Auror…well, frankly, I was somewhat disappointed. I didn't understand what made you want to pursue that line of work."

_"No," she thought to herself as they continued walking, "I suppose you wouldn't. You never did run away…you stayed to fight…to make a difference. You were able to face your darkness…your moment of weakness. I could not."_

"Apparently you did very well in Auror training," he continued, not noticing her pensive expression. "That, in itself, was not surprising. I always felt you would succeed in anything you really put your mind to. But I thought, at some point, you would return to teaching…and you did. And I am glad. The students will certainly benefit. We need them to be prepared…especially at this time…"

His voice trailed off and Hermione noticed his gaze become somewhat distant. She knew what he was thinking about and unconsciously her gaze drifted towards his left arm and on the Dark Mark hidden under the cover of his robes.

"Yes," she said, suddenly feeling kinship with this enigmatic man with so much darkness and light intermingled in his soul, "We must prepare them."

He looked at her and nodded firmly, the familiar glitter returning to his black eyes.

They entered the Great Hall together. It was empty, except for one person.

"I see Minerva is waiting for you," Severus whispered as she shyly withdrew her hand. "Good luck."

"Thank you," she whispered back as she hurried over to where Minerva was standing. Severus left the Great Hall, presumably to gather up the Slytherin students as they arrived in the horseless carriages.

"Good evening, Hermione," Minerva beamed, "I am glad to see you are looking much more like your usual self. The first thing we must do is retrieve the Sorting Hat from the Headmaster's office."

"I can do that now," Hermione stated.

"All right. The password is "Droobles." After you have returned and we have set up the Sorting Hat here, I will bring you over to the back entrance by the grotto where the first years' boats will be docked. It is a secret passage…one that is protected from the students. After this year, you will be able to do this on your own. This year I will accompany you just so you become familiar with the entire process."

Hermione smiled at the implication in Minerva's words. She was going to be here for a few years at the very least. Well, as long as she survived tonight…

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Hermione said quickly and then turned to go to the office in which the Sorting Hat waited patiently.

It didn't take long to get there…provided you knew exactly which turns to take. After giving the password to the gargoyle, she hurried along the moving staircase to the office. She knocked politely but there was no answer.

"He's probably already on his way to the Sorting Feast," she thought to herself as she opened the door to let herself in, hoping that she wasn't setting off some wizarding alarm

The office was just as she had remembered it. Full of bookcases with an odd assortment of wizarding and muggle works of literature. There were a few teaching certificates and photos of staff and students. She recognized one picture…it was her own graduation and it featured herself, Ron, Harry and Dumbledore smiling broadly and waving. Severus stood in the background, rolling his eyes upwards at such a display. Minerva stood beside Severus and she appeared to be chuckling. If Hermione had to guess, Minerva was laughing at an example of the Potions Master's wry wit.

She was about to move towards the Sorting Hat when something caught her eye and made her stop.

_He_ was in the photograph as well!

He was looking at her…watching her…not even paying attention to the camera.

An uneasy feeling settled into her stomach, like a thousand butterflies suddenly being let loose. There was _something_ in that look…something…

She walked over to the glass cabinet and, upon opening the door, removed the Sorting Hat from its usual spot of repose. 

"Time for another Sorting, my dear Hat," she said fondly, remembering her own Sorting years before with a slight smile. She had been very nervous, to be true, but very confident that she would get into Gryffindor.

She closed the cabinet door carefully when she heard a sound that made her turn around, hat in hand.

"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed, causing her to almost drop the Sorting Hat on the floor.

For a moment, all she could do was stare at him. He had not changed much over the last few years. His hair had a few more strands of gray, there were one or two more lines in his face but he was still the same person…the same person she had admired so much on that trip to Hogwarts back in third year.

"I didn't realize you would be here," he spoke first, rather quickly. "I came to ask the Headmaster a question and, since he wasn't in the Great Hall, I assumed he might be here."

"I came to collect the Sorting Hat," she replied, holding the Hat out as proof that she simply had not been lying in wait for him. She was quite aware that she was standing rather stiffly but she couldn't help it. She just wasn't ready for this.

"Yes, of course."

The silence that followed was very uncomfortable. Within moments, she found it unbearable.

"If there is nothing further, Professor Lupin," she said, in as neutral a tone as she could muster and with a painfully forced smile, "I cannot keep Minerva and the entire first year class waiting."

And, without waiting for an explanation, she raced out of the room, not wanting to dwell on the fact that a tingle went down her spine as she brushed by him.

Not wanting to dwell on the fact that he had been looking at her just as he had in the photograph.

_"Damn him," she thought to herself violently as she resolutely fought off the tears that were threatening to spill onto her flaming cheeks._

It was going to be a long year if _that_ was any indication.

She had managed to calm herself by the time she had reached the Great Hall and had convinced Minerva that her frantic expression was on account of her being afraid of making a mistake and hurrying back a little too quickly.

Minerva smiled, "Don't worry so much. It's really the Sorting Hat who does the work for you."

They went off together towards the back entrance, Hermione keeping the route firmly implanted in her brain. Concentrating on the task at hand made it that much easier to forget about Remus and his searching glances…those eyes…

"And here is the doorway," Minerva stopped in front of a rather imposing oak door, majestic in its proportions. "There is no magic required to open it from the inside. It's rather prosaic, you simply push down on the handle and pull the door open."

Hermione did so and was immediately confronted with the faces of many, many first years that were looking at her in awe, respect and, in many cases, abject fear. She glanced at Minerva nervously. The older witch nodded, as if in approval.

"Good evening, students. I am Professor Granger, Charms Mistress at Hogwarts and Deputy Head of Gryffindor House. To my right, is Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House. We would like to welcome you to Hogwarts and escort you to the Great Hall where your peers are waiting for you. Come along and please try to keep up…it would not do to get lost on your first night."

Minerva hid her sudden smile with her hand as she walked beside Hermione.

"Don't tell them about Peeves just yet…they look terrified," the older witch whispered. Hermione nodded with a grin on her face.

The two witches led them back towards the Great Hall. Along the way, she could catch snippets of their hushed conversations.

"Don't remember my brother mentioning her. She must be a new addition."

"She is the Charms professor, right?"

"You prat! That's Harry Potter's friend."

"Yeah, she used to date the Bulgarian seeker, Krum."

"Isn't he the twit who married that half-Veela? His Quidditch career sort of stalled after that."

"I wonder what house I will be sorted in?"

"Has to be Gryffindor."

"Rubbish. Slytherin is the best house."

"Ravenclaw has you both beat."

"Not a chance. Hufflepuff is the place to be."

"The Sorting is not going to hurt, is it?"

"I'm starving. I hope the food is good."

"Has anyone seen my newt?"

Hermione smiled as a sense of déja vu washed over her. She paused before the entrance to the Great Hall, where she knew all the other students were already sitting…waiting…

"Students. In a moment you will enter the Great Hall where your peers are waiting for you and where you will be sorted into your respective houses. Points will be given and taken from your house based on your behavior. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup so it is to your advantage to not indulge in senseless horseplay or pranks."

She opened the door and, closely followed by Minerva, led all of the first years to the front of the Great Hall where the Sorting Hat stood on its little three-legged stool. She refused to look at the Head Table at all. She had good reason not to…

The Sorting Hat came to life and indulged in its traditional song. It seemed as if the somber atmosphere of such dangerous times had affected the Hat as well. This year's song was not nearly as jovial and light-hearted as years past. It was almost…a lament.

Hermione could not shake the feeling that this did not bode well and then firmly rebuked herself for thinking like that misguided mystic, Sybil.

Turning back to the students, she picked up the Hat gently in one hand and the parchment roll in the other.

"Students, I will call out your names alphabetically. When your name is called, you will come sit down on the stool and place the Hat on your head. The Hat will call out which house you will belong to at which point you may join your housemates at the appropriate table."

Hermione read out one name after another and placed the Hat gently on each student's head. It was the same every years. Sometimes the decision took mere seconds. Sometimes considerably longer. It was rather funny to see the expressions on the faces of the students…some of them probably expected the hat to eat them whole.

Finally, as the final student was sorted (Wesleyan – Hufflepuff), she rolled up the parchment and, picking up the Hat, was about to bring both back to Dumbledore's office when Minerva touched her on the shoulder.

"I will see to returning these. Go sit down and enjoy yourself tonight. The real work will begin tomorrow," the older witch smiled at her.

"Thank you, Minerva. It has been…a rather full day," she remarked.

Minerva pointed her towards the table where there were two vacant seats beside Severus. Quickly deciding that sitting beside the Potions Master might not be such a bad thing after all, she hurried over and sat down, not daring to look at anyone else at the table.

"You did well, Hermione," Severus remarked as he sat back in his chair.

"I was very nervous," which was true enough. 

"I doubt you were as nervous as those first years. They are traditionally a terror-stricken lot," he drawled.

Dumbledore stood up and waited to address the student body.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" he exclaimed happily, "It is always so wonderful to see old faces returning and new faces just beginning. It is my hope that you will find your time here useful and interesting. I have a few announcements to make before we begin our feast. First years are reminded that they are not allowed into the Forbidden Forest on any pretence. We have two new staff members joining us this year. First of all, I am pleased to announce that Professor Granger has graciously accepted the position of Charms Mistress at Hogwarts, now that Professor Flitwick has really and truly resigned. The second appointment is for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position and that has been offered to and accepted by Remus Lupin."

There was widespread applause at the announcements and Hermione was secretly grateful that the students were not fearful of him. A much better reception than last time.

"So now, if there is nothing else, let the feast begin!"

And the golden plates were magically filled to bursting and the sounds of contented eating permeated the Great Hall.

"You are not eating, Hermione," Severus remonstrated, "Minerva will not be pleased."

"I am old enough to take care of myself," Hermione reminded him, stabbing at a piece of veal rather violently and missing…the fork slipped out of her hand and clattered noisily on the floor.

"Oh dear," she muttered, glaring at Severus, who was chuckling at her. She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him. She reached down to pick up the fallen utensil when someone else's hand brushed against hers.

"I…was going to pick that up for you," Remus said quietly as he knelt beside her and handed her the fork.

Hermione accepted the fork, trying desperately to ignore the awareness of his fingers touching hers ever so slightly.

"Thank you," she said quietly. He nodded and sat down in the empty seat beside hers.

"You're welcome," he replied, handing her the flagon of pumpkin juice, "Something to drink?"

"Yes, please," she picked up her goblet and held it out while he poured carefully, proud that her hand was not trembling. 

"It's quite incredible that Flitwick actually retired," Remus smiled slightly, "He has been saying that he would do it for countless years…it was a running joke."

"I used to think he came with Hogwarts…they looked to be about the same age," Severus smirked.

Hermione chuckled. The diminutive former professor certainly did look as if he were as old as the institution itself.

"I wonder what prompted him to really do it this time?" Remus questioned, sipping his pumpkin juice thoughtfully.

"Does it matter? We needed some new blood in this school. Wouldn't you agree, Remus?" Severus asked pointedly.

"Yes, of course, Severus," Remus replied rather hastily.

"Are you glad to be back teaching at Hogwarts?" Hermione surprised herself by asking Remus the question. And she could tell, by his reaction, that he was surprised as well.

"Yes," he finally answered, "I am very glad to be back. I have always felt that this place was like a home to me. It's the only place that has felt like home for…well, for a very long time."

Hermione felt a pang in her heart as she thought about what he had said. 

"Hogwarts is like that," Severus remarked, picking up a radish with his fork and frowning at it, "It is a sanctuary for those of us who need it."

They continued on in their meal, chatting quietly about many things. Hermione felt that Remus was watching her and that irritated her somewhat. The man had no right to think…

Think what?

_"He has no right to think I still love him," she thought to herself._

"Well," Severus announced, getting up," I must make sure my first years make it to the Slytherin common room in one piece. Have a good evening and I will see you in the morning at breakfast."

"Good night, Severus," Hermione replied.

"Good night," Remus repeated.

Severus hurried after his first years, grumbling incoherently, as he could see they were already going in the wrong direction.

"Think he'll lose them?" Remus asked, leaning towards her slightly.

"If he didn't manage to lose Crabbe and Goyle, I'm sure this lot will be quite safe," Hermione quipped.

Remus laughed.

"Your point is well taken," he smiled.

Hermione decided that now was probably the best time to leave so she got up. "I have to get some rest tonight. I am still somewhat tired from…all the excitement of being here and all that and I want to make certain I am in top form tomorrow. Those first years can be testy."

Remus got up as well, out of courtesy.

"I will see you tomorrow morning?" she couldn't exactly determine if it was a question or not.

"Of course. Good night."

"Good night, Hermione. I…I am glad we will be working together," he said sincerely.

She smiled somewhat but did not answer…could not answer without him noticing the tremble sure to be in her voice…she simply nodded in a noncommittal sort of way and somehow found her way into the corridor and, finally, to her own chambers. She flopped onto her bed heavily and stared at the ceiling.

After a few minutes of staring she realized that, rather than feeling sleepy, she felt restless. She got up and searched for her photograph album which was somewhere in her dresser. With a sense of triumph, she found it and brought it over to her bed.

The album was filled with photographs that Colin Creevey had taken from about second year onwards. It was a nice record of her years at Hogwarts. She skipped forward to pictures from third year and stopped. There was the picture she was looking for. The one immediately following the Quidditch victory, which had won Gryffindor the Cup for the first time in so many years. The trophy was in the center of the picture. Harry and Ron were practically draped over it, with goofy grins on their faces. The rest of the Gryffindor team was in the background, the twins setting off firecrackers in Percy's pockets while Penelope laughed hysterically.

And there she was. And there he was.

And she remembered…

She remembered the excitement of the moment. She remembered Ron picking her up and whirling her around like a rag doll, screaming at the top of his lungs. She remembered laughing at him and getting very dizzy. She remembered Harry hugging her so tightly that she found it difficult to breathe. She remembered turning around and practically falling onto Professor Lupin…Remus…

She remembered how she had kissed him…a very different sort of kiss from the grateful peck on the cheek back on the Hogwarts Express. She had softly touched her lips to his before she had even realized what she was doing. His reaction to that kiss was not at all what she had expected. She had expected him to back away, to somehow gently reproach her for crossing some line in the behavior deemed acceptable between teacher and student. He had not done either. He had simply smiled at her and caressed her cheek delicately, a gesture that somehow seemed so much more intimate than a kiss. It had mesmerized her.

It still made her catch her breath…even now.

And the evidence was there, in the picture. The two of them were not looking at the Cup…were not looking at their friends…they were absorbed in each other.

A moment of awareness caught by the flash of a camera.

The moment she first realized she loved him.

Tonight…almost eight years later…despite everything that had happened to her…despite her infatuation with Viktor…she realized that had never changed.


	6. Stargazing

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to JK Rowling with many thanks!

****

Chapter Six: Stargazing 

Life could go on.

Remus discovered this fact to be very true over the next several weeks. Even though his heart still beat more quickly when Hermione was nearby, he was able to conduct himself in some semblance of normality. He tried to ensure that there were no occasions where he would be left alone with her…he knew he would not be able to cope with that. Severus did seem to be scheming somewhat and Remus did not entirely believe his proclaimed indifference to the whole situation. The man was devious…he would certainly not be above giving him a love potion instead of the usual Wolfsbane.

For Hermione's part, Remus thought she seemed to have recovered from her ordeal although he did notice that there was a haunted expression on her face, when she thought no one else was looking…an expression that hurt him. She also acted impulsively from time to time…a sense of humour that was sometimes just a bit…jarring…somewhat out of character. It looked as if she were under a great deal of stress and was trying her best to overcome it. Well, it was hardly surprising given what she had been through recently.

For only he knew what form the succubus had taken that night.

And he knew what that meant.

He was picking at his dinner, not paying much attention to the conversation around him. His thoughts whirling in his mind like the Pensieve he had made but never used…never wanted to see what brutish, monstrous thoughts went through the mind of his animal self.

His human thoughts were sufficiently convoluted

Hermione.

Always Hermione.

"You aren't paying attention," a drawling voice drew him out of his reverie.

"Did I miss anything?" Remus answered Severus quietly.

Severus proceeded to pour out a goblet of pumpkin juice for himself and for Remus as well.

"You really do not play the part of the lovesick puppy particularly well, Remus," Severus whispered quietly as he ladled more potatoes into his plate, "When are you going to tell her what happened? She really does have a right to know."

"She can't know," Remus replied bitterly.

"Why?" Severus put his fork down and looked at him in concern. "What is the worst that could possibly happen?"

"Severus, you weren't there that night. You didn't see what happened…" Remus' voice faltered as he noticed Hermione walking into the Great Hall.

Severus, wondering why Remus had stopped talking so quickly, looked over and saw Hermione, who had paused to answer a question from one of the Slytherin students. "She is a very popular teacher," the Potions Master remarked casually.

"I have no doubt of that. I always thought she would make an excellent teacher," Remus tore his gaze away from her and began mashing his potatoes absently. "She knows how to establish a relationship with the students…makes them want to learn and succeed."

Severus smirked good-naturedly. "My students succeed as well. However, I think that the thought of failing and spending summer holidays with me probably has a lot to do with it."

Remus looked at Severus in surprise and laughed.

"You really are in a rather self-deprecating mode, aren't you?"

"I would prefer to think of it as knowing who I am, knowing what I want and accepting that. It is something you might want to try, Remus," Severus commented casually, tearing a roll in two pieces.

"I know who and what I am," Remus murmured.

Severus looked at him kindly. "I realize that, Remus. But what is it that you want? What do you really want? More than anything else."

"I…"

Hermione sat down between Remus and Severus, effectively ending the conversation.

"Good evening, Professor Granger," Severus said in mock civility, although his expression was friendly, "Did my student's comments require any points to be taken from Slytherin?"

Hermione laughed.

"Nothing of the sort, Professor Snape," she replied merrily, "I was simply making arrangements for a tutorial. As you know, fifth years may begin Animagus training, if they are so inclined…"

"And Roberts is so inclined?" Severus asked, looking at the student with interest.

"To the point of being horizontal," Hermione laughed.

"Becoming an Animagus is a great accomplishment," Remus joined in the conversation, "He will do quite well learning the art from you, Hermione."

Hermione blushed slightly.

"You, Potter and Weasley started learning at the same time but you managed to do it in only two years," Severus remarked, "Potter took another year before he could get it completely right and Weasley just a couple of months after that."

"They probably could have learned it sooner…there were a few distractions along the way, courtesy of You-Know-Who," Hermione piped up in defense of her friends.

"Hermione, don't pay attention to this overgrown bat. Becoming an Animagus is a difficult thing…the fact that the three of you succeeded is a testament to your wizarding ability." Remus turned to Severus with an innocent look, "I don't remember if you ever became one, Severus."

Severus glared at him and mumbled something incoherent about silly wand waving and dunderheads.

Remus smiled and turned to Hermione.

"Creating potions was always his talent and I am grateful for that…I know of no one else who can create the Wolfsbane Potion as well as he does," he said sincerely.

Severus looked at him, glared just a moment longer then returned to his food.

Chuckling, Remus turned back to Hermione awkwardly. "How are you finding your teaching experience at Hogwarts so far? You have had a couple of months to get into a regular routine now."

"Very enjoyable, on the whole. The students have really accepted me, which is a relief. I was rather afraid that they wouldn't take to a teacher not much older than they are but that doesn't seem to bother them in the least," Hermione smiled, her cheeks turning just the slightest shade of pink.

"Yes, there isn't much of an age difference between you and them," Remus remarked, cursing himself for sounding…sounding jealous.

Hermione remained silent, the pinkness becoming more and more apparent.

Severus noticed this and felt like throttling Remus. Honestly, he had to do everything himself.

"How many students are involved in this tutorial, Hermione?" Severus asked, trying to break the tension.

Hermione looked at him gratefully. "I have ten fifth years signed up so far. Minerva will be looking after the sixth and seventh years. I will be concentrating on the fifth years myself."

"I never asked but what is your Animagus form? I realize that you are registered but I don't normally make a point of checking the registry for new candidates," Severus inquired, twirling his dinner fork lazily.

"It's an owl," she answered quietly, "Harry and Ron were laughing themselves silly when they saw me…said it was oh-so-appropriate."

"The owl is associated with many things," Remus said suddenly. "She is the familiar of Athena, goddess of wisdom. She is the night hunter…silent and deadly. She lives in the world of night…the world of darkness but is not tainted by it."

There was an awkward silence and Hermione looked at Remus in an enigmatic way. 

"It is an appropriate form for you, Hermione," Remus continued, "But not in a negative sense…not at all."

Hermione glanced at Severus, rather puzzled. Severus simply shrugged his shoulders.

The rest of the meal passed in silence and Hermione wondered what Remus meant by living in a world of darkness but not being tainted by it.

__

"Why is he being so careful around me?" she wondered, somewhat annoyed.

Finally, the meal was ended and the students started filtering out of the Great Hall. Hermione had not eaten much and tried to ignore Severus' concerned looks as much as possible. He was getting to be as bad as Minerva!

Getting up, Severus turned to both her and Remus. "Would either of you care to take a walk by the lake? It is a beautiful night and, after such a wonderful dinner, I could use a bit of a constitutional."

"A walk would be lovely," Hermione got up as well, pushing her chair back in carefully.

"Remus?" Severus inquired.

"I don't think so…I have a number of papers to grade…"

"Nonsense," Severus cut him off, "The fresh air will do you good…perhaps put you in the right frame of mind so that you don't fail half of my Slytherins."

"I wouldn't do that," Remus protested as he grudgingly rose from his chair.

"I know, Remus. You Gryffindors are so horribly fair and equitable. Really, it's a wonder that any of you get anywhere in life," Severus smirked, pleased that Remus had taken the bait.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, Severus," Hermione commented casually as she brushed a few crumbs off of her robes, "I can think of several Gryffindors who have done quite nicely, thank you very much."

"There are always exceptions to the rule, Hermione," Severus said archly.

"True," Remus agreed, "like a Slytherin with a sense of humour."

Severus chuckled in appreciation and smacked Remus on the shoulder in a friendly fashion.

"Let's go then," Severus started walking, "And don't forget to bring a roll or two for the squid."

Remus and Hermione looked at one another in some surprise.

"I'll get it," Hermione murmured, reaching over to pick up two rolls and tucking them into the pocket of her robes. With a nod, they both began following the Potions Master out of the Great Hall, through various corridors and passageways (encountering not one but two moving staircases) and finally outside.

Hermione breathed in deeply. Ah, that was much better.

"It is a lovely night," Remus conceded as his gaze looked skywards.

_"Only half-full tonight," he thought to himself. "Only fourteen more days…"_

"The stillness of the evening is certainly preferable to the rabble inside," Severus drawled as he led the small group to the lake.

"You shouldn't be so hard on the students," Hermione protested, "They are allowed to enjoy themselves somewhat."

"Severus does not know how to enjoy himself," Remus remarked seriously.

It was Hermione's turn to smirk. "Well then," she replied innocently, "he should find someone else to enjoy him."

She laughed out loud at the expression on the faces of her colleagues. Severus looked as if he was ready to curse her. Remus simply smiled in wry amusement.

"Hermione Granger!" Severus had recovered somewhat and, thankfully, astonishment had replaced the anger. "That is hardly the sentiment I would have expected from a Gryffindor."

"Perhaps not, " she conceded, "But your reaction was well worth the 100 or so points you would have taken from my house were I still a student."

"It would appear that I have misjudged you," Severus was now smiling broadly.

"You are not the first to do so," Hermione said casually, noticing that Remus looked at her quickly when she said that.

_"Why are you keeping yourself so distant from me?" she wondered, wanting nothing more than to hold him and never let him go…despite the fact that he was acting like a prat._

The group reached the shores of the lake and sat down. Hermione pulled out the rolls and handed one to Severus.

"Would you like the other one?" she asked, holding it out to Remus.

"Thank you," he murmured in reply, taking the roll, his fingers briefly touching hers…

_"Your skin is so soft…" he thought as he turned his attention to tearing pieces of the roll and throwing them into the lake. They floated briefly on top of the water before a lithe tentacle looped around it delicately and pulled it under the surface…soft, circling ripples the only evidence that they were ever there._

Remus mechanically went through the motions but his thoughts were of her. Her scent surrounded him, teasing him…taunting him with impossible dreams. Dreams of a happy life…a normal life…the kind of life he despaired of ever having. 

What was it that Severus had asked? What did he want…more than anything? He knew the answer to that question. He knew what he wanted…

A life with her.

But that was not possible.

Not now.

Not like this.

As the three colleagues sat immersed in their own thoughts, there was suddenly the sound of someone running behind them. Turning around, Hermione saw Professor Sprout dashing across the grounds and coming towards them.

__

"What on earth is going on now?" she wondered, suddenly worried about attacks on Hogwarts, Dementors and Death Eaters.

"I…I…am so…glad I…found you," Professor Sprout wheezed as she tried to catch her breath.

"Has there been an attack?" Severus asked suddenly.

"Don't…be daft…Severus," she continued, struggling to get the words out, "One of your…students…hid an Engorgement…Charm…in a handkerchief in one…of the classrooms…one of…my students…has a cold…now…has a nose…like a Norwegian Ridgeback…need your help…."

The expression on Severus' face would have frozen water in an instant. He got up quickly and turned to the diminutive professor.

"Show me where the unfortunate student is and I will help," he grumbled.

Remus and Hermione started to get up as well but Severus turned to them quickly.

"This shouldn't take long," he muttered angrily as he pulled out a potion bottle from a pocket of his robes and looked at it, "Stay here and I'll be back quickly…typical of a student to ruin the first quiet evening I have had in days."

Hermione looked at Remus and shrugged her shoulders, easing herself back onto the ground.

Remus turned to watch the two figures, one short and frantic, the other tall and relatively calm, recede in the distance.

"Having a nose like a Norwegian Ridgeback can be a bit of a nuisance, I suppose," Hermione mused.

Remus smiled. "Especially if one has a cold…most inconvenient."

Hermione looked at him and burst out laughing. Remus quickly joined her, laughter certainly being preferable to awkward silences.

"Well," Hermione said, as soon as she was able to get in control of her giggles, "I think Severus should be able to handle the situation easily. I just hope he doesn't give the poor student one of those "I see no difference" speeches that he gave me when Draco made my teeth something akin to a beaver's. Honestly, I don't think I smiled for weeks afterwards. I wonder if he remembers that?"

"Although I have a healthy respect for Severus' intellect, even I do not think he can keep track of all the rude comments he has made to students over the years," Remus smiled.

"No, I suppose not," Hermione was thoughtful for a moment. "It's a shame he wasn't more like you."

Remus felt his heart leap inside his chest but managed to keep his expression neutral.

"How do you mean?" he asked.

Hermione lay back on the ground, hands under her head and staring at the stars.

"Hmmm? Oh, I'm sorry…I was looking at the stars and was suddenly reminded of our mutual friend, Sirius Black. Yes, well I think it would have been better for Neville, in particular, if he had been more like you."

"Oh?"

"You really cared for your students."

"I love teaching. It's only natural that I would want my students to do well."

"That's not what I meant at all. There is a difference," she stated firmly.

Sighing, Remus lay down as well, one hand under his head and the other drumming nervously on his chest.

"Why do I terrify you, Remus?" Hermione suddenly asked, without turning.

Remus' free hand clutched at his robes for a moment but he quickly forced his fingers to relax.

"That is a strange question to ask me of all people, Hermione."  
  
"That is not an answer," she replied quietly.

"I should be the one that terrifies you," he said bitterly.

"Why should that be?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

Staring up at the sky, Remus thought for a moment. "I am a monster, Hermione. I am a bloodthirsty creature of darkness. Everything that I am should frighten you…terrify you…disgust you. And you would be right in doing so."

"The Wolfsbane Potion…" she started.

"Is nothing but a control. It is not a cure."

"It makes you safe."

Remus didn't answer. Too many conflicting emotions made speech temporarily impossible. He concentrated on the pounding blood in his temples. All he wanted was to take her in his arms…

He felt a warm touch on his arm. Hermione was lying on her side now, facing him…one hand on his arm. And she was smiling.

"I think I understand," she stated softly.

"You do?"

"Yes. However, you do not."

"I don't?"

"Not by half. You see, Remus, you do not terrify me. Have you forgotten that I have witnessed your transformation before?"

Remus had not forgotten as much as he would have liked to. For that to happen right at that particular moment…it was as if he had been stripped naked in front of the world. And yet, she had not shied away from him after that. Not like so many others. She had been one of the few who had not abandoned him.

"No, Hermione. I have not forgotten," he said, absently patting her hand that refused to leave his arm.

"You do not terrify me," she affirmed. "But, back to my original question…"

"It is not you I am terrified of," Remus said quickly.

"Then what is it?"

"I am terrified of myself…of losing control…of hurting…"

"Hurting a friend…someone you care about?"

He looked at her and saw that she was holding back tears. Tears because she thought he didn't…

"No…I am terrified of hurting you…of hurting someone I love," he turned away from her…not wanting to see the expression in her eyes.

"Someone…you l…love?" she whispered.

Sighing in defeat, Remus turned to face her again and ran a gentle finger along her jawline. Her eyes were searching his…hopeful but frightened. He felt that awareness between them grow and suddenly he felt as if he were back in the common room..the scent of her…the very taste of her. He wanted to kiss her…knew, without a doubt, that she wanted him to kiss her as well…

The sound of cracking twigs caused them both to sit up quickly. Someone was coming!

"Thank the stars that I found you, old friend."

Remus and Hermione looked at the tall figure in absolute shock.

The voice belonged to Sirius Black!


	7. Deadly Intentions

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR, with many thanks. Chocolate truffles go to Tessie and Amy for being the best beta-readers I could ever have asked Santa for.

**Chapter Seven: Deadly Intentions**

They had rushed into the castle, looking for Albus, who had been taking a short walk in the corridors near the portrait door entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Sirius had been ushered up the revolving stairs to the Headmaster's office, leaving Remus and Hermione downstairs in the waiting chamber. After a seemingly brief conversation, Albus had emerged, ushered both professors in quickly and then called Severus and Minerva to join them.

The silence in Albus' office was palpable. Hermione looked at the stunned faces around her and thought that the news Sirius was bringing them could not possibly be good. She forced her own fears down and tried to remain calm. She was not going to be of much use to anyone if she panicked. She tried to catch Remus' gaze but he looked too pensive…too lost in his thoughts.

_"Why does it always have to be so difficult for us?"_ she thought wistfully and then felt guilty for being so selfish. There was a great deal more at stake. Her little problems really did not amount to much.

"You have taken a great risk in coming here, Sirius," Minerva commented. "You could easily have been followed."

"I took the necessary precautions," Sirius replied, the barest hint of a growl in his voice at the unspoken rebuke.

"Perhaps, but you should not have shown your true form until you were within the walls of the castle. There are many beings in the Forbidden Forest who are not entirely friendly to our cause. They might have recognized you," Minerva persisted, her lips tight with suppressed anger.

Sirius' eyes blazed. "I have never felt the need to skulk around the grounds of Hogwarts and I have shown my true form here before. I did not want to frighten Hermione…I wasn't certain she would recognize me in my animagus form and, after the incident earlier in the year, I did not want to take any chances."

Hermione wondered how Sirius had found out about her terrifying encounter but then realized that he was in constant contact with Albus and Severus so it was therefore inevitable that he would know at some point. 

"It was still imprudent," Minerva sniffed disapprovingly.

"I came here to speak with Remus. I did not ask for an audience with Hogwarts faculty. The Headmaster was of the opinion that this was necessary. I do not agree. What I have to say is for Remus' ears only…and perhaps yours, Headmaster…but certainly no one else," Sirius snapped, eyes now flashing angrily.

"Sirius. Minerva. Stop behaving like small children fighting over the last licorice wand in the store. Minerva, you are, of course, aware that Sirius has been living as a fugitive for years…I would have to think he knows best how to travel without being seen or recognized. Sirius, you will show a little more courtesy and respect to everyone present. What you have to say to Remus can be said in front of all of us and, since it does concern Voldemort and his plans, it is best that everyone is aware of the latest developments," Albus' voice held a note of quiet authority that no one dared contradict.

"My apologies, Albus," Minerva answered humbly.

"Sorry," was the only word Sirius uttered but his face showed that he was thoroughly chastened by the Headmaster' words.

"Why have you come here, Sirius?" Hermione asked, her voice tight with anxiety. "What is so important that you had to risk discovery in order to tell us? Are we in danger? Has there been another attack? Is Voldemort still trying to discover Harry's whereabouts?"

Sirius looked at her sadly and his shoulders sagged somewhat as he half-fell into a nearby chair. He placed his head in his hands and took several deep breaths as if to steel himself for what he had to say. No one said a word. They simply waited.

"Would you like something to drink, Black?" Severus asked, somewhat concerned at the bleak expression in the other man's face…something he had not seen since that fateful sentencing so many years ago.

"I wouldn't say no to some Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. My nerves could use a bit of settling," Sirius admitted, lifting his head and looking at Remus in a way that made Hermione even more nervous.

Albus went to a small cabinet, unlocked it and took out an exquisitely carved crystal decanter and a small glass. He liberally filled the glass with the smoking amber liquid and presenting it to Sirius. With murmured thanks, the younger man downed the drink in one gulp.

"Now, Sirius, please tell us what news you have. It must have been important for you to risk so much in coming here directly," Albus encouraged, refilling the empty glass.

Sirius looked at the glass in his hand and put it down on the desk without even a sip. Hermione noticed that he looked very tired…a look reminiscent of when she first saw him in the Shrieking Shack so many years ago …haunted…driven…desperate.

"As you are well aware, Voldemort has begun a new campaign of terror and destruction in the Muggle world. He has several operatives working in the Middle East and in various politically unstable countries in Africa and South America. The death toll has been catastrophic…the atrocities on par with what was happening a generation ago before…before he disappeared," Sirius began, running a shaking hand through his unkempt hair. It was obvious that he was reliving memories best left undisturbed and Hermione felt a pang of pity for this man who had lost so much and was in danger of losing so much more.

"We have seen how…effective…the new campaign has been," Severus remarked gravely. 'The death toll has been catastrophic and it does not show any signs of abetting anytime soon. He has been keeping the plans to himself for the most part. I believe the only other ones who have such knowledge are Wormtail and Lucius who, since their rather remarkable escape from Azkaban, have been the Dark Lord's closest confidantes. I myself have been unable to glean much information and that which I have been able to obtain has not been particularly useful," Severus remarked rather angrily. Hermione was not surprised at the tone of self-hatred in his voice.

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Harry and Ron are part of a covert operation in the Middle East. They are involved in an area that is experiencing extreme turmoil at the moment and are trying to determine Voldemort's role in this. Lucius Malfoy, if you believe the rumours, has been running that particular operation. Percy Weasley is coordinating our efforts along with Mundungus Fletcher and Amos Diggory. This is being done without the consent of the Ministry…they are still denying that Voldemort has returned…that we all have a hidden agenda to undermine the Ministry's authority."

"Lucius is going to be a difficult one to find…more slippery than a slime-covered toad," Severus muttered angrily. Hermione could tell there was no love lost between the former and the current Death Eater.

"I agree," Sirius replied, " but that is the least of our concerns at the present. There is a new twist to his plans that has just come to light and it is rather frightening to say the least. Voldemort is gathering a group of assassins. A group of bloodthirsty, remorseless killers who will willingly destroy any innocent human, Muggle or wizard, without a second thought."

Again, the room was thick with silence. Hermione glanced at Remus, who now looked decidedly ill.

"Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?" Minerva asked, concern etched clearly on her face.

"Yes," Sirius sighed, "Voldemort is on a campaign to round up all the known werewolves in order to use them as…executioners."

"This is a most unfortunate turn of events," Albus shook his head as he walked slowly around the room.

"I don't understand," Minerva ventured. "Werewolves are only a danger when they are in their transformed state. When they are in their human state, traditionally, they are quiet, reserved, very intelligent and very compassionate. I have never known one to relish their unfortunate circumstances."

Hermione saw that Minerva glanced at Remus with warm understanding in her eyes. This was not surprising as the older witch was the epitome of fairness and never let prejudices cloud her judgment of a person's individual worth.

"You misunderstand," Sirius corrected. "He is taking every known werewolf prisoner…binding them in magical cells so strong that they cannot break out. When they are due to transform, an "undesirable" is placed nearby. You can imagine the result. Sometimes, the Dark Lord simply allows the werewolf to bite the victim, thereby gaining another werewolf."

"That is horrifying!" Hermione exclaimed.

"The most horrifying aspect of this is that the werewolf is allowed to return to his or her normal form and witness the result of their actions. This is how Voldemort is able to keep them…they fear that they will be killed themselves in the outside world and yet they hate what they are forced to do…although, in reality, they have little choice in the matter. Sometimes, they commit suicide…they simply cannot bear to be used in such a heinous manner," Sirius muttered, a sorrowful look on his face.

"How did you manage to get this information?" Severus asked, his face ashen.

"I followed Lucius Malfoy to a meeting and listened in while in my animagus form. The stupid dunderheads didn't think of putting up any wards or perimeter spells. They figured that no one would be stupid enough to come near Malfoy Mansion without a good reason," Sirius responded gruffly.

"And you were," Severus could not resist the jab at his one-time foe.

For a moment, Hermione watched Sirius' face grow red with anger but it was short-lived and he chuckled somewhat.

"How do they know where to find the…I mean, them?" Hermione asked, blushing somewhat.

"Werewolves are obligated to register in the cities they either work in, reside in or travel to on a regular basis. Failure to do this results in rather harsh punishments," Albus explained, resting a hand on the mantle of the fireplace and staring deeply into the flickering red-gold flames. "I never thought it was a good idea. Information like that, in a single source, can be dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Are there really that many werewolves?" Hermione asked, blushing somewhat. "Forgive my ignorance on the matter but I had always thought that it was quite rare."

Albus turned to her gravely and Hermione felt quite awkward at having asked the question. He sighed deeply.

"The condition itself is somewhat rare but, in many cases, the afflicted individual is hunted down and killed, more often than not, by someone within their own family," the Headmaster said heavily.

Hermione could not suppress a gasp of horror and her eyes flew to Remus in sudden fear.

"I am so sorry…Remus…I had no idea…" she stammered.

Remus shook his head. "My parents were always kind with me. I did not suffer any hardship from _them_."

Hermione noticed that Severus fumbled with his robes in an awkward fashion. She felt that there was more to Remus' words but did not dare to ask. He looked as if his heart would break and there was a desperation in his expression which she did not like…not one bit…

"What will we do?" Minerva asked, grim determination in her face.

"The most important thing," Sirius stood up and walked over to where Remus sat, pale as death, "is that we protect Remus. Remus has never taken a human life. I do not want to change that."

Hermione glanced sideways at Severus, half-expecting him to make a comment about how close he came to becoming werewolf fodder back in his school days at Hogwarts but he said nothing. Instead, he nodded grimly at Sirius' words.

"There are many things we must do in order to ensure that Remus does not become a victim of Voldemort's insanity," Dumbledore began, turning away from the fire so that his form was outlined in light, casting his features into shadow. "First of all, I cannot allow you to leave the protection that Hogwarts offers you, Remus. I sincerely regret that I have to do this but it is for your own good."

Remus nodded absently. Hermione wasn't entirely certain he had heard the Headmaster's words.

"The next thing is immensely more difficult. Severus and Hermione…you must work together to determine whether or not there is some way to alter the Wolfsbane Potion so that it is not simply a control for the affliction but a cure. If we can somehow cure lycanthropy…Voldemort's plans would be scuttled."

Hermione looked at Severus…at the pensive expression on his face. She could tell that he was already scrolling through the various ingredients of the potion in his mind…analyzing properties individually and in combination. Between his skill and her intuition…they just might succeed.

"We will begin immediately, Headmaster. Hermione, please join me in the main laboratory after you are done," Severus stood up and walked over to the door, pausing in front of Remus to place a hand on his shoulder. "We will find a way, Remus. You have my word that we will do everything in our power to find a way."

Remus placed a shaking hand over Severus' and nodded. Severus gently extricated his hand and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"Minerva," Albus turned to his Deputy Headmistress. "You must contact Arabella Figg. The two of you will go to the Ministry of Magic and work together with Arthur Weasley. Find the werewolf registry and determine how many you can account for. Any that are missing we must assume to be in Voldemort's clutches."

"I will contact Arabella by floo powder and meet up with her at the Ministry offices. You will be kept apprized of any progress we make," Minerva stood up and left the room as well.

"Sirius," Albus walked over to where the younger man stood, "I need you to stay here for the present. Your knowledge of the Dark Arts will prove invaluable, as I need you to set up special perimeter spells around Hogwarts in order to conceal Remus' presence. We will then work together to determine where Voldemort is keeping the werewolves prisoner. If we can find them, we can rescue them."

"I will do everything I can to protect him," Sirius affirmed and then, with a nod to Remus, left the room as well.

Remus stood up and drew his robes around himself tightly, as if he were suddenly cold.

"Headmaster," he began, "if we are done, I would like to return to my chambers. This news has troubled me greatly and I am very tired and in need of rest."

The Headmaster looked at Remus with deep compassion.

"Of course, Remus," he replied gently. "Take all the time you require…although I would prefer if you ate something first."

"I am not particularly hungry," Remus whispered, a painful look coming into his eyes.

"You know we will do everything we can to protect you," Albus walked over to the younger man who was now beginning to shake.

"Yes, I know that," Remus mumbled.

"Perhaps you should stop by the infirmary, Remus. I know that Madame Pomfrey has made a new batch of Pepper-Up Potion that will help you feel better."

"I don't think so, Headmaster. I think I will simply…rest. If you will excuse me," Remus left the room without another word.

Hermione got up and walked over to where the Headmaster stood, arms crossed, with the fingers of one hand drumming on the other arm quietly.

"His reaction disturbs me, Hermione," he commented softly.

"It disturbs me as well, Headmaster," she replied as she glanced towards the door. "I fear for him…he has always been so self-conscious…so sensitive. This may encourage him to do something…drastic."

"Agreed," Albus tapped his chin thoughtfully and turned to her suddenly. "Hermione, before you go down to begin your work with Severus, please check that Remus is all right. Perhaps we are simply over-reacting but it is better to be safe. I do not want anything to happen to him."

"Nor do I, Headmaster," she practically whispered and hurried out the door before he could ask why her cheeks suddenly flamed.

Feeling as if each second would make the difference, she ran down the corridors towards the professors' residences. She stopped in front of Remus' door and listened carefully.

She could hear movement…footsteps…items being moved. She thought she heard the scraping sound of something…perhaps furniture…being dragged across the hardwood floor.

"Remus," she called quietly.

"Please go away, Hermione," came the shaking reply.

"Remus, please let me in."  
  
"Just let me be, Hermione."

"Remus. I am very worried about you."

"I don't need your sympathy. I don't need anything. Not now."

Hermione felt the twinges of panic settle on her stomach but fought to keep her voice calm and steady.

"I know you don't need sympathy. I am not here to give you sympathy."

"Please…I should never have tried…I am so sorry to have forced myself…"

"Remus, you do not need to apologize…not to me. I was there too. I know what happened. You were not the only one who wanted…who felt…"

"No, Hermione. I was wrong. I should never have done that to you. I should never have thought that you might…you will only end up getting hurt…I could not live with that…"  
  
"Remus, please…you have to come out. We need to talk about this."

Hermione heard nothing except the sound of footsteps pacing back and forth in his room. She began to knock on the door in earnest.

"Let me in, Remus!" she yelled, truly worried now that he would do something in desperation.

"Hermione, Severus is waiting for you."

"Severus be damned! You mean more to me than he does. He can afford to wait!"

There was silence.

And then there was a slight moan…of someone in pain.

"Remus!"

Still silence.

She began pounding on the door furiously.

"Remus! Open the door this instant!"

She listened intently but heard nothing.

Heart pounding, she pondered her options when she heard a dull thud…a noise that sounded suspiciously like a body falling to the floor.

Thoroughly frightened now, she pulled out her wand and aimed it at the door handle.

"Alohomora!" She yelled.

Nothing happened. Evidently he had taken the precaution of spell-protecting the entrance to his chambers.

"Incendium!" She screamed impatiently and hastily covered her face with her arms as the door exploded in front of her, sending pieces of wood flying into the corridor and hitting her with enough force to make her gasp in pain.

Ignoring the cuts on her arms, she rushed through the gaping opening and stopped suddenly in absolute horror as she surveyed the scene in front of her.

There, on the floor, lay Remus, semi-conscious, two rivulets of bright red blood streaming from the deep cuts on his wrists…


	8. Return From The Brink

__

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. Many thanks to Tessie for beta-reading this chapter. This particular chapter is dedicated to Jesse who is turning 18 (Happy Birthday!)

**Chapter Eight: Return from the Brink**

The scene in front of her was almost too much to take in and Hermione was momentarily paralyzed with terror. All she could see were the streams of blood, dark rivulets of carnelian flowing from the pale skin…the wrists that had been so cruelly slashed by the straight-edge razor lying on the floor nearby.

A wave of nausea washed over her but she quickly recovered and rushed to Remus' side, kneeling down and immediately grabbing his wrists in her hands, trying desperately to staunch the pulsing flow of blood and trying to ignore the stench of death that seemed to fill her nostrils.

"No..." he murmured weakly, trying to pull his hands away and not succeeding.

"I will not let you push me away again, Remus!" Hermione shouted, trying to keep him conscious. She released one hand to grab her wand. "Sonorem Magnum!" she yelled as the wand emitted a thunderous noise, which was sure to attract the attention of the other professors if the first explosion hadn't already. Dropping her wand, she clasped her hand around his wrist again, wishing there were more she could do.

"Why did you do this to yourself?" Hermione asked.

"I…will not…hurt…others," he mumbled, the words difficult to understand as his breathing became more laboured.

"I don't want to lose you!" 

"Better…this way…" He was drifting in and out of consciousness and Hermione tensed when she noticed that there was a bluish tinge to his lips….  
  
"Don't say that!" She cried out, tears now streaming down her face. "That isn't true!"

"Remus!" Hermione turned to see Severus and Sirius at the door, both looking shocked at what they were witnessing.

"He's slashed his wrists," she told them in an urgent tone as they quickly joined her. "He's bleeding badly. Get Madame Pomfrey! Hurry!"

"I'll go," Severus offered and rushed out the door.

"I don't know what else to do," Hermione sobbed.

"I know a basic healing spell that should keep the wound closed until Pomfrey gets here," Sirius said, somewhat dazed from seeing his best friend try to commit suicide. "You have to let go of his wrists, Hermione."

She shook her head.

"Hermione, I know what I am doing. Do you think I would ask you to do anything to endanger his life?" Sirius asked urgently. 

Reluctantly, Hermione let go of his wrists, dropping her hands in her lap in defeat. The blood immediately began to flow again and Sirius quickly pointed his wand at the wound. "Sanguam Finitem," he said softly. A bright silver light traced over the wound and the bleeding stopped. The wound was still there but it was no longer open.

"I should…I should get blankets," Hermione got up and picked a comforter off Remus' bed and placed it over the gravely injured man. She felt oddly disjointed, as if her body and her spirit were not completely in harmony with one another. Sirius looked at her quizzically but said nothing, getting up to wait by the doorway, looking back at Remus every so often and shaking his head wordlessly.

They did not have to wait long.

Poppy bustled into the room frantically, closely followed by a very anxious-looking Severus. The mediwitch pursed her lips as she quickly assessed the situation.

"Your quick thinking has probably saved him," she said brusquely to Hermione as the older witch pointed her wand at Remus and quickly levitated him over to the bed. "He has lost a great deal of blood. Another minute or so and he would have lost consciousness altogether. Severus. Sirius. I need you to hold his arms and legs steady so that he doesn't inadvertently injure himself further. Be careful as he is very weak."

Sirius moved to place his hands gently on Remus' upper arms. Severus, ashen-faced, placed shaking hands on Remus' knees.

Hermione stood up to stand next to Poppy and watched quietly as the older witch cast several spells on Remus' mangled wrists.

"Aah!" he cried weakly as one spell circled his wrist. Hermione winced at the expression of pain that was contorting his pale face. He did not struggle against the two wizards who were restraining him…he was far too weak for that, it seemed.

"My apologies, Remus," the mediwitch said in a considerably softer tone. "The healing spell can be quite painful. It cannot be helped."

Madame Pomfrey repeated the spell on the other wrist and Remus cried out again, considerably louder this time and struggling weakly against the hands holding him down before collapsing in fatigue.

"You can both release him now," the mediwitch said to Sirius and Severus. She then turned to Remus. "I am going to give you a potion of dreamless sleep, Remus. Your body needs time to heal itself and it desperately wants rest. Drink it all down…it is not much and it will help you immensely." She took a small potion bottle from her belt and, tipping his head gently, poured a small amount of a shimmering blue liquid into his mouth. He swallowed, almost compulsively, and was asleep moments later.

"Sirius, I need you to levitate him over to the infirmary so that I can monitor him over the next twenty four hours. Although I feel he will be all right, there is always a chance that his condition will deteriorate. Werewolves are notoriously poor patients. It is almost as if the animal tries to reject anything that might heal the human," Poppy looked at Remus and shook her head softly. "He, out of all my students, would have made a brilliant mediwizard. Old prejudices die hard…a pity, though…"

Sirius took out his wand and quickly levitated his sleeping friend. He led him out of the room.

Madame Pomfrey looked at the doorway for a moment, as if pondering something deeply. She then turned to Severus. 

"I will certainly need more of that potion, Severus. Bring it down to the infirmary as soon as it is ready," the mediwitch hurried out of the room.

"Hermione?" Severus walked over to where she was still standing.

She felt as if something had taken away her ability to talk. She looked at him with dry, aching eyes and an ache in her heart that was so much worse.

"Are you all right?" Severus asked, concern in his eyes as he took in how pale she was and the fact that she was trembling slightly.

"I…don't…I…" she was about to wipe her forehead with her hand when she noticed something. Her hands and her robes were covered in blood…_his_ blood.

"Bleeding," she whispered as the room suddenly spun crazily out of control. She was dimly aware of falling, of someone catching her before the blackness consumed her entirely.

***************later in the infirmary******************

She wasn't sure when she first noticed them, those flickers of soft, silver light that pierced through the pitch-black nothingness around her. They moved around her, gently bathing her in a comforting glow that eventually became brighter and brighter.

And then, she heard noises…mumblings…like someone talking underwater which, for some reason, seemed very amusing…she almost wanted to laugh…almost…

"She should regain consciousness shortly."

"She went into shock when she saw her hands."

"You did the right thing to bring her here. The poor thing has had a most frightful year."

"Will she be all right?"

"There is no reason why she should not be. She is a strong person and has been through other rather awful incidents. Dementors. Basilisks. Lucius Malfoy. She will be fine. Have you finished the blood restorative potion?"

"Yes. It can be given to Remus as soon as it is cooled."

"Thank you. Your help is always appreciated."

"You will tell me when they awaken?"

"Of course, you overgrown bat. Now, off with you!"

Hermione did not want the overgrown bat to leave but she was far too comfortable in the semi-darkness to really worry all that much. She felt a hand touch her forehead gently.

"Rest, Hermione. I will be back in the evening."

The sound of receding footsteps made Hermione feel somewhat lonely. She then noticed that the darkness was intensifying and she soon knew no more.

*****later***********

It was the chirping of the crickets that brought her back…one of the most gentle, welcoming sounds she had heard in a long time. She could feel the smile on her face as she listened quietly for several moments before attempting to open her eyes.

Her vision was fuzzy at first but quickly came into focus. She was in the infirmary…that much was certain…and Madame Pomfrey was watching her with a compassionate smile on her face.

"I'm glad to see you awake dear. You were unconscious a touch longer than I would have expected," the mediwitch sat down on the chair next to her.

Hermione looked down and saw that her hands were clean and she was dressed in a clean white hospital robe. For some reason, this surprised her somewhat.

"A thorough cleaning spell," Madame Pomfrey replied to the unasked question in Hermione's eyes.

Hermione nodded, fighting down the twinge of panic in the pit of her stomach. The memory of what had happened was far too vivid…

"I have something for that as well," the older witch held out a small vial, which contained a murky turquoise liquid. "It is a mild sedative."

Hermione shook her head. "I do not want to blur my senses. I still have classes to teach."

Poppy raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Now, that sounds like the Hermione Granger I know," she said approvingly.

"How long have I been…asleep?"

"Since late last night…about twenty hours or so. Are you hungry?"

"Famished actually," Hermione stomach grumbled in agreement but her gaze turned serious. "What about Remus? Is he all right?"

Poppy's eyes grew wistful and sad and, for a moment, Hermione thought she was going to faint again. 

"_He can't be dead,"_ she thought nervously.

"Remus will be fine but a suicide attempt like this…frightens me. If he is capable of such violence against himself…I fear he may try again," Poppy looked to one side. Following her gaze, Hermione saw Remus, sleeping cocooned in his blankets several beds down.

"The scars. Will he have the scars?" Hermione asked, not tearing her eyes away from the sleeping figure.

"No. Even with a cut as deep as that…I was able to mend the skin flawlessly."

__

"Thank goodness he is not left with a permanent reminder of what he attempted to do," Hermione thought gratefully.

"I feel so stupid," Hermione remarked bitterly. "I should not have fainted…that was very weak."  
  
"There is no reason to feel stupid, Hermione," the mediwitch remonstrated. "Your quick thinking saved that man over there. Once the immediate crisis was over, your body shut down. That is how your body protects itself…it automatically knows how much stress it can take. If you go over your limit, you shut down until you are able to cope."

"I still feel that I could have done more," Hermione mumbled bitterly.

The mediwitch smiled. "I can tell that you are feeling better and that will make the others very happy."

"When will he wake up?"

"Shortly," Poppy got up and, waving her wand authoritatively, summoned a parchment and quill, scribbling a few notes quickly before sending both back to her desk. "I expect him to wake up in an hour or so."

"May I stay until he does?"

Poppy smiled at Hermione. "You are not going anywhere yourself, young lady, until tomorrow morning. I am going to ask the house elves to bring you something to eat. I have a meeting with the Headmaster shortly so I will away from the infirmary for a bit. However, I have asked Severus to keep an eye on things while I am out. The overgrown bat can be insufferable sometimes but even he has his uses, I freely admit."

Hermione smiled as the mediwitch bustled away. 

__

"I am hungry," she thought to herself as her stomach rumbled in protest. Almost instantly, a house elf appeared with a tray full of sandwiches and freshly cut fruit along with a goblet of chilled pumpkin juice. After thanking the elf for bringing the food, Hermione devoured everything on the tray, feeling somewhat guilty as she glanced at Remus now and again. When she finished, she placed the tray on the adjacent table and sat there, drumming her fingers nervously…not able to even look at the issue of "The Daily Prophet" that someone had left for her. Finally, she could take it no longer.

"Remus," she whispered and scrambled out of her bed as quickly as possible. Steadying herself for a moment against the wave of dizziness she managed to reach him. Sitting down on the bed quickly, she looked at him with a pang in her heart. He was still pale but not quite as pale as he had been earlier. His wrists were bandaged. His countenance looked calm and she watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest with a bit of relief. 

Nervously, she reached out to touch his cheek with her hand. His skin was warm, slightly rough from the facial hair that had not been shaved in many hours.

__

"If I had only known…" she thought and then the tears, which had been threatening to spill since she had regained consciousness, streamed down her cheeks. She loved him and she wasn't able to prevent him from doing this to himself. Sobbing, she rested her head on his chest and held him to her…frightened that he might somehow get away. The sound of his steady heartbeat did nothing to reassure her.

A gentle touch on her shoulder startled her and she looked up to see Severus looking at her kindly.

"Are you all right, Hermione? You don't look at all well," he clearly was not used to offering comfort although he did hold out a handkerchief for her use, which she gratefully took.

"I should have known he would try something like this. I should have been able to prevent this…"

"Hermione, you cannot blame yourself. This was an act of desperation…rash…unplanned. Remus himself did not know he was going to do it, so how could you?" Severus' voice was stern but kind. "You saved his life, Hermione. If it were not for you, he would be dead."

"I don't…I don't understand why…"

Severus sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. "It is not possible for you to understand this because you are not Remus. The only piece of advice I can possibly give you is to listen to him when he awakes and do not judge him. He will need our support over the next few days. He will especially need you. You know that he loves you."

Hermione turned to Severus with a rueful smile. "If he loves me so much, why did he do this?"

Severus frowned slightly, as if in thought. "On matters of the heart, I am sadly lacking in practical experience. However, my guess is that his primary motivation was a refusal to cause you harm."

"I suppose," Hermione sighed as she touched Remus' cheek again. "I just wish…"

"We all wish, Hermione," Severus said in a soft voice that caught Hermione completely by surprise. Turning to look at him, she saw that his gaze was focussed on a point somewhere outside the window. "We all wish and we all hope but it is only when we take action that we can be assured our wishes and hope will come true. Your actions will determine the outcome, Hermione. Yours is the power, so to speak."

Hermione nodded and suddenly enfolded him in a warm embrace. Severus, quite startled, awkwardly patted her back.

"Thank you for being my friend," she whispered.

"Thank you for being the same," he returned as he let her go. "I am going to go into Poppy's office to look over a few things. Let me know when Remus awakens…I'm sure you will want to watch over him."

Hermione smiled at him and nodded. Severus, with a good-natured smirk and a barely audible comment about Gryffindors, got up and walked over to the office, closing the door. 

"My actions," she murmured to herself.

He looked so innocent in sleep that it made her smile to look at him. In sleep, the cares and worries of his life were eased away, the fine lines around his eyes smoothed. On impulse, she leaned down and, closing her eyes, kissed his lips gently…marveling at a softness she could only just remember. She felt someone's hand gently touch her waist. Opening her eyes and pulling away slightly, she smiled to see him looking at her with so much emotion that she thought her heart would break…and then…a memory…

…those eyes…yes, she had seen them before…

And then, she knew…

"It was you," she breathed as her fingers traced his lips shyly. "You saved me that night."

He nodded silently, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Why didn't you tell me, Remus?" 

He looked down for a moment, as if to think about his answer carefully. He sighed deeply and then, tentatively, brushed away several strands of hair from her face.

"I did not want you to feel that you were obligated to me."

"You should have known I would never…"

"I realize that now. I was afraid and confused. Afraid that I had almost lost you. Confused because of what that…thing…looked like and what that meant. A succubus only takes on the form of the person dearest to the victim's heart and when I saw…a mirror image of myself…I…no one has ever… I mean…you are so much younger than me…I am but the wreck of a man… why would…"  
  
"You talk entirely too much, Remus" Hermione admonished gently before silencing him by pressing her lips against his. Admitting sweet defeat, Remus kissed her back, his arms circling her waist and holding her closer to him.

Hermione delighted in feeling Remus' kisses but she also knew that he was still very weak so she gently pulled away from him.

"I love you so much, Hermione," he breathed as he touched her face.

"And I love you, Remus," she smiled as she lay down beside him and nestled in his arms.

*********Later***********

Severus stepped out of the office, holding a parchment and quill in his hands as he finished taking notes on an idea for a potion to cure burns. Looking up, he nearly dropped both as he saw Hermione, resting contentedly in Remus' arms. Both were fast asleep and with such peaceful expressions on their faces that he felt a little envious.

"They say that laughter is the best medicine," he mused, nibbling the top of the quill thoughtfully. "I think, however, that love could give it a run for its money."

He gave an indulgent half-smile to the couple and then went back to the infirmary office…to figure out how he was going to get Hermione back into her own bed before Poppy got back. 

__

"Gryffindors," he thought, shaking his head and sighing.


	9. Prelude

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. I have created a Yahoo Group where I am storing all my stories. If you are interested in joining, please go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stregabrava

__

Thanks again for supporting this story. This is probably the fluffiest chapter…just a little something to lull you into a peaceful state before all heck breaks loose in future chapters.

**Chapter Nine: Prelude**

It took Remus some time to fully recover from his self-inflicted wounds. The combined expertise of both Poppy and Severus ensured that his stay at the infirmary, while longer than that of Hermione's, was at the very least comfortable. Poppy tutted around Remus as if he were a china doll and admonished almost everyone if they spoke to him for more than five minutes. Severus brought him his Wolfsbane Potion as the full moon approached and Remus continued to complain of its awful taste, earning a wry smirk from the Potions Master. 

"Sometimes I wonder if it is true that sugar would negate the beneficial effects of the potion, Severus. I would not put it past you to slightly misrepresent the truth just to watch me grimace over the foul taste," Remus gasped as he drained the smoking goblet.

"My dear Remus, are you questioning my abilities as a Potions Master?" Severus asked with a mocking lilt in his voice.

Remus grinned cheekily, wiping his mouth deliberately with a nearby cloth.

Although the scars on his wrists quickly vanished, Remus' strength was slower to return. Hermione visited him whenever she could, at mealtimes and in the evening. Poppy had resigned herself to the fact that the young Charms professor stubbornly marked homework assignments and prepared lesson plans at the bedside of the recuperating patient. The mediwitch did not complain overly much because Hermione's presence had the added benefit of calming him so that he did not require a sleeping potion and that, in itself, was something to be hoped for given the circumstances.

Sirius Black stepped in to assist teaching Remus' classes for as long as might be necessary, giving the students the excitement of having Azkaban's most famous inmate as an instructor in Defense Against the Dark Arts. When he was not teaching, he was assisting the Headmaster in designing wards to protect Remus from being detected. His formidable knowledge of the Dark Arts gave most of the professors some reassurance that Remus might be safe from Voldemort's awful plan. Severus and Hermione did not agree and continued to work on possible modifications to the Wolfsbane Potion in an attempt to find a cure.

Finally, Poppy reluctantly discharged Remus and gave him a stern talking-to as to what was permissible and what was not over the next few days. Remus was sorely tempted to ask her if the list of forbidden activities included snogging but decided against it, reasoning that the mediwitch might very well forcibly confine him to the infirmary for several more weeks.

The next few days were filled with walking throughout the castle and on the grounds, building up his strength. Sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by Hermione or Sirius or even Severus. He felt completely refreshed after a late-afternoon walk and decided to pay a visit to Hermione in her classroom.

Hermione grinned as she watched the seventh-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws rushing out of her class to hurry towards another engrossing lesson with Sirius. He had quickly become a very popular member of the Hogwarts faculty, much to Severus' chagrin.

"They seem to be in an awful hurry to get to class. I don't remember any class being that interesting." Remus stepped into the room, trying to avoid being overrun by eager students and not succeeding particularly well.

"I seem to remember several classes that were, as you put it, that interesting," Hermione picked up her assorted parchments and textbooks and threw them into the old satchel that served as her bookbag. 

"Here," Remus walked over quickly, "let me carry that for you."

Blushing slightly, she handed the heavy parcel to Remus.

"Does Madam Pince know you are carrying half of the Hogwarts library in here?" Remus asked mockingly.

Hermione laughed.

"You have to promise not to tell her…she might forget that I am a professor now and take points from Gryffindor."

Remus grinned as he shouldered his burden willingly.

"Are you done for the day?" He asked, walking closely beside her.

"Thankfully. That last class tired me out somewhat. They always have so many questions."

"I don't think that really bothers you. I remember you being the same way."

"Curiosity, thy name is Hermione Granger," she giggled.

They walked along in comfortable silence until they reached the door to her chambers.

"Well," Remus handed her the bulging satchel, "I suppose I will see you at dinner?"

"Did you want to come in? I have a bottle of Aberlour malt whiskey that Severus gave me recently. It's quite good...just the thing to spark the appetite for dinner."

Remus noticed that she was still blushing and fingering her satchel nervously. He reached up to touch her shoulder, caressing her neck softly with his thumb.

"Yes, I have heard of Aberlour although I admit that I am somewhat surprised. I always thought Severus to be more of a Glenmorangie sort of wizard. I suppose he thought you would like something more…bittersweet."

Biting her lip, she hesitantly lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "Yes, sweetness with a touch of bitterness for balance."

"Hermione…" he stepped closer to her, moving the hand up her neck to entwine in the luxurious golden brown masses of her hair.

She smiled at him and reached behind her back to turn the handle on the door, opening it in a clear invitation she hoped he would not refuse.

"Hermione…" his tone was slightly more guarded as she stepped away from him and entered her chambers, depositing the satchel on the floor and turning to look at him.

"Hermione, I don't think…"

She ignored him and proceeded to a cabinet in her small parlour, pulling out a crystal decanter and two cut-glass snifters. Pointedly refusing to look at him, she proceeded to fill the glasses with the honey-coloured liquid. To Remus' heightened senses, it seemed that the very air was perfumed with the subtle herbal tones of the drink.

"I think," she stated suddenly as she picked up one of the glasses and walked back towards him, "that I have waited a very long time to try…this. It looks innocent, tastes innocent, sliding easily down the throat and yet it has a dangerous quality to it."

"Perhaps all the more reason to avoid it," Remus murmured as the scent of the liquor, combined with the headier scent that was uniquely Hermione mingled in his nostrils. He couldn't tell which was more intoxicating…

"No, it is all the more reason to savour it." She deliberately sipped the drink and held up the glass to him. Her hand trembled slightly, causing the liquid in the glass to ripple gently. "Would you care for a taste, Remus?"  
  
Remus stepped into the chamber and closed the door quietly behind him. He walked over to her and took the glass from her hand….setting it down carefully on a nearby table.

"Yes…I would…very much," he murmured before drawing her to him and, leaning down, kissing her deeply.

Hermione's arms moved to encircle his neck as she opened herself to him and allowed him to thoroughly explore her mouth with his tongue. Waves of desire coursed through Remus' blood and he wanted nothing more than to make love to this beautiful, remarkable and utterly desirable woman.

He pulled away slightly and gazed at her flushed face.

"Why me, Hermione?"

She looked puzzled, her brow furling slightly at the question. "Why not you, Remus?"

He sighed slightly, caressing her cheek softly and pushing several wayward tresses back behind her ears.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled. "A woman in love is always beautiful."

He looked at her very intently. "Are you in love, Hermione?"

"I have loved you for a very long time," she replied, undoing the clasp on his cloak and letting it fall to the ground. Shakily, his hands fumbled with hers and soon it joined his in a rather undignified heap.

With growing confidence, Remus slowly began to work the fastenings of her robes and managed to undo them without too much difficulty, the black garments pooling around her ankles. For a moment, he simply marveled at her beauty. His gaze caused her to blush becomingly and that, if at all possible, made her even more wondrous in his eyes.

She attempted to do the same, raising her hands to disrobe him in a similar manner, but his hands automatically came up to stop her.

"Remus," she pleaded.

"I…I'm sorry. It's just that…the scars…"

"The scars mean nothing to me," she replied lovingly. "I want to see you just as you can see me."

He nodded and watched Hermione gently remove his robes and let them fall. She looked at him and, for a moment, he was sorely tempted to hide himself…hide the evidence of what had made him the monster he was…hide the evidence of what he had done to himself all those years ago.

Hermione quickly took in the scar on his shoulder; a lasting reminder of the bite that had condemned him to this life of sorrow. There were other marks as well, crisscrossing lines of silver that appeared on his chest and arms. She felt a wave of sympathy for the man but that was immediately replaced by an admiration for his strength. To endure so much for so long was remarkable. He was a much hardier individual than anyone realized.

She reached out her arms and wordlessly invited him to embrace her. He held her close, reveling in the feeling of her skin against his. He felt his body react to her closeness but did not shy away…and neither did she…

Her hands wandered over his back, feeling the strength of the muscles, wanting to know every inch of this man. He shuddered slightly as her hands trekked lazily up and down.

"Make love to me, Remus," she said in a voice that trembled with desire.

He did not answer; he simply reached down and lifted her in his arms, carrying her over to her bed. He put her down gently before lying down with her.

"I love you, Hermione," he murmured as he embraced her and began kissing her smiling face…

****************************

Remus woke first, wondering for a moment where he was as the light was coming in from entirely the wrong angle. He felt languid and content and, as he moved, he heard a soft sigh. Smiling now, he turned his head to look at Hermione, who was still fast asleep and breathing softly. Her head rested on his chest and one arm lazily draped across his waist.

He still could not believe it and, as he softly kissed her forehead, he thanked whatever deity was responsible for bringing her into his life. He had a purpose now in his life. He had a reason to continue to fight. Oh, there had always been Harry to watch over and he certainly cared about the young man but this was different.

He loved her.

And she loved him.

In the grand scheme of things, nothing else remotely mattered as much.

Caressing her shoulder softly, he closed his eyes to remember…the way she had said his name in that throaty drawl…such a lovely voice for lovemaking…the way she kissed his chest that made him gasp…the way she made him forget about such things as full moons…the way she made him feel…like a man…and not a monster.

A slight frown appeared on his face.

__

She had never able to do that.

__

************Flashback*****************

Remus was pacing at the foot of the bed nervously as the woman lay sleeping peacefully. Every so often he would stop and look at her with sadness and longing. He wanted to be lying next to her but…soon…

Finally, he sat down next to her and gently touched her shoulder.

"Please wake up, love," he murmured as he tried to wake her.

She mumbled something incoherent and turned on her side.

Remus sighed and shook her gently.

"I need to go," he said quietly as she slowly opened her eyes, batting them becomingly at Remus, causing him to blush somewhat.

"Can't you wait until morning?" She asked petulantly. "The moon will be coming up in a little while. We can watch the stars from the Astronomy Tower, if you like. There will be no students tonight. Thanks to upcoming NEWTs and OWLs, we professors have a bit of leisure on our hands."

"No, I cannot. I have to go. I will see you tomorrow…if you like," he said haltingly.

She smiled and sat up in bed.

"I do like but I would like it better if you stayed with me tonight," she murmured seductively.

Remus felt his body react to her flirting but knew he had no choice.

"I'm sorry…I have to go. I will see you tomorrow." And, with a kiss and an embrace, he hurried out the door.

He felt her gaze on his back but did not turn around.

He found the tunnel and hurried along. Voldemort had been defeated, thanks to little Harry. Peter, James and Lily had died because of Sirius but the former Marauder was serving a life sentence in Azkaban and so received his just punishment. It was rumoured that Severus would be granted a teaching position and Remus was nervous about that.

Despite all the sadness in the recent months, Remus felt happy. He had found a special woman, one he loved dearly and who loved him back.

Perhaps she was the one for him.

He certainly hoped so.

He reached the door and looked at Poppy who was holding the door open for him. She always looked so sad when she saw him…one of the few people who truly understood what he went through.

"Everything is ready for you, Remus," she said softly.

"Thank you, Poppy."

"I wish there were more I could do for you," she sighed as she closed the door.

"I know." His voice carried through the barred opening in the door.

"Severus Snape is returning to Hogwarts in the fall. Dumbledore has vouched for him and the Ministry has agreed. He is an adept at potions…perhaps he might discover something…"

"Perhaps, Poppy. Good night. You should be going."

Another sigh from the mediwitch. "Of course, Remus. Good night. I will come for you in the morning."

Remus sighed as the sound of receding footsteps told that he was alone. He sat down in a dusty chair and waited.

He did not have to wait very long…

The next morning, Poppy came and brought him a restorative elixir which revived his flagging energy somewhat. He stumbled through the corridor and made his way to his chamber, intent on sleeping the day away.

That did not happen. She had been waiting for him. When he saw the look of horror and disgust on her face, he knew immediately what must have happened.

"I followed you," she yelled as she turned away from him, "I saw you with Poppy and thought that, perhaps, you were dallying with her. She hurried back and I ducked into the shadows so that she did not see me. "

She turned to Remus with hatred in her eyes.

"You're a werewolf," she fairly spat out the words.

"Yes, I am," he replied quietly, feeling the dreadful ache in his chest as he realized where this was going and that his life at Hogwarts was over.

"You are a monster…a hideous being that preys on innocents. I let you make love to me and, all the while, you are a disgusting creature of darkness!"

Remus felt the tears pricking at the back of his eyes.

"I have never harmed anyone," he said quietly but emphatically.

"Why should I believe you? For all I know, you have murdered babies in their sleep. How could you do this to me?"

Remus moved closer to her, "I did not…"

She held up both hands in a clear gesture of self-preservation and he stopped immediately.

Looking at her, he could see that there was no love in those eyes any longer. Perhaps there never had been. Perhaps he had only been fooling himself.

"Get away from me, Werewolf!" She hissed as she brushed past him…

…and out of his life forever…

**************End of Flashback**************

Opening his eyes again to look at the sleeping vision of loveliness in his arms he held her just a little closer to him. 

No, Hermione was not like _her_. Hermione had witnessed his transformation years before…had kept his secret for almost an entire school year. She knew what he was and had never shied away. She had been willing to give him a chance to show her the man he was rather than the werewolf she knew he was forced to be.

And she truly loved him. Of this, he was certain.

Her eyes fluttered open and sparkled as she looked at him quietly. She placed her hand over his heart and felt its steady beating beneath her fingers.

"You do realize that we missed dinner?" He teased gently as he stroked her hair.

She smiled at him as she traced circles on his bare chest. "I'm not very hungry, I'm afraid. I have everything I need right here."

Remus kissed her forehead gently. "I was thinking the very same thing."

"Severus is going to be simply awful to deal with," she whispered as Remus' kisses traced over her cheeks and down her throat.

"We'll simply have to bear his superior airs for a time," he murmured between kisses.

"I suppose. What do you say we go down to the Great Hall at breakfast?"

"Breakfast? That's such a long time away, Hermione."

"I know but I don't think I can bear to be away from you tonight. Don't send me away, Remus."

He embraced her fiercely. "I promise you I won't ever do that again, Hermione." And he began to kiss her all over again…

A/N: The idea for the malt whiskeys belongs to Jaded Green (cheers, mate!)

A/N2: Special thanks to my goddess of a beta-reader, Tessie!!


	10. Full Disclosure

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. Dedicated to Tony D, Tashia L, Joe P, Enzo C, Lynn M and Veronika V for their support over the last two months. Love you all lots!!!!

****

Chapter Ten: Full Disclosure

**__**

Telling Severus

As it turned out, Severus was not nearly as impossible as Hermione and Remus feared. In fact, after a few melodramatic sighs and unintelligible mutterings regarding the utter hopelessness of Gryffindor House and its alumni, he more or less left them to their own devices.

"About bloody time…I don't know how much longer I could have stomached the role of matchmaker between you two," he finally grumbled although Hermione had the strongest suspicion that he was genuinely pleased.

**__**

Telling Dumbledore

Sitting at the breakfast table, Albus turned to Hermione to offer her some pumpkin juice.

"You seem very happy today," he commented as he poured. "And I am pleased to see Remus so much more composed and relaxed. He gave me an awful shock and I was most afraid for him. He is a good man…one we cannot afford to lose. I wish you both joy…there is little enough of it in this world…especially now."

Hermione shot the Headmaster of Hogwarts a grateful glance as she nodded in agreement. She felt a hand cover hers and turned to Remus. He had a shy smile on his face but he did not move his hand and, indeed, she did not wish him to.

**__**

Telling Sirius

Sirius was somewhat more of a challenge. He stormed into the staff room where Hermione and Severus were playing a game of Wizard Chess while Remus looked on in quiet contemplation. The other professors had already retired for the evening.

"Is it true?" Sirius blurted out angrily.

Hermione looked at Remus in sudden concern. Remus sighed. They both knew this was coming but neither one could think of what to say. There was an awkward silence while Sirius tapped his foot impatiently.

"Yes, Black, it is very true. Hermione and I are passionately in love with each other and are planning to elope this very night. Is that not right, my love?" Severus drawled in a mocking voice as he moved a pawn after careful consideration.

For a moment, Sirius looked stunned and confused at the same time, looking at each of them in turn.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about? I just overheard Flitwick and Hooch talking about you and Remus! Don't tell me Snape is involved in this as well." Really, Sirius looked like he was either going to throw up, faint or both.

Hermione laughed while Remus shook his head. 

"It is as you say, Black. They are…in love," Severus rolled his eyes as if to emphasize his thoughts on the entire process of falling in love. Falling into a vat of undiluted bubotuber pus almost seemed preferable to the Potions Master.

"Bloody hell, Remus! What are you thinking? She's far too young for you. What will Harry and Ron say about this? What about her parents? Have you thought about that? How are they going to react when they find out their only child has a werewolf for a lover?" Sirius shouted, frantically pacing the room and looking for something to throw. Severus surreptitiously cast a spell on the chessboard and pieces to keep them from knocked over. After all, the game had been on for almost four hours and he was set on winning. 

"Stop talking about me as if I am not here, Sirius!" Hermione glared, hands on her hips.

Sirius suddenly turned to her. "And you, young lady…I don't even want to know what possessed you to…to…" Sirius stopped and blushed furiously.

"To fall in love with Remus?" She asked.

"You're too young to know what love is, Hermione," Sirius grunted. Hermione shook her head as she turned her attention back to the chessboard and contemplated her next move.

"Am I too young to know, Sirius?" Remus asked pointedly, moving to stand beside Hermione. Severus, massaging his temples fiercely, watched Hermione take one of his pieces in a well-executed move he had not counted on. It did not improve his mood…or his headache.

"You're old enough to know better," Sirius finally answered. "It's not just the age difference, Remus. There are…well…other considerations that you need to keep in mind. This isn't right."

"And what is so wrong about two people loving each other unconditionally?" Severus stepped into the conversation from where he sat, moving a knight in a way that made Hermione scowl.

"This from someone who wouldn't know love if it hit him across the face with a Quidditch bat," Sirius snarled.

"Oh, that is rich coming from someone who never could differentiate between love and making love," Severus rebuked as he watched Hermione with some satisfaction…she was torn between two possible strategies.

"You know what Remus is. You know the danger he could pose to her," Sirius pleaded. He turned to Remus with a sad expression. "Do you really want to risk her life like this?"

"As long as he takes his potion, he poses no threat to me. You, of all people, should know that," Hermione replied quietly, a spark of something dangerous in her eyes as she made her move.

"And what if something happened and he could not take his potion? What then?"

"I'm an animagus, Sirius," Hermione gently reminded.

"Anything else, Black?" Severus asked, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling. He had to consider his next move carefully.

"Do you love him, Hermione?" Sirius inquired, placing an arm on hers and looking at her intently.

"Yes, I do…very much," she replied softly but with a gaze that did not waver.

"And you," Sirius turned to face Remus. "Do you love her?"

"I have loved her for a long time, Sirius," Remus answered, looking at Hermione and smiling. Hermione smiled back.

Sirius sighed in resignation and shook his head. "Well, it could have been worse, I suppose. It could have been you, Snape."

Severus glared at Sirius. "Or it could have been you," he snapped coldly as he took one of Hermione's castles.

Hermione grinned and Remus simply rolled his eyes in exasperation at the antics of the two men.

"Can we call it a truce or do you want to whine about it a bit longer," she smiled.

Sirius simply grunted but Severus chuckled and muttered something under his breath.

"Who's going to tell Harry and Ron?" Sirius demanded.

Hermione took another pawn from Severus.

"We were hoping you would, Black because, as we can all attest, your unique sense of subtlety and your superlative communication skills make you the best candidate for the job," Severus replied blandly.

Hermione gave the most convincing impression of a cat coughing up hairballs in her attempt to conceal her laughter.

"Just like your sense of style, Snape," Sirius snapped back.

In anger, Severus made a move that made Hermione smile for just an instant. He buried his face in his hands.

"He's right, Sirius," Remus stepped between the two men. "No, not about that but you are the best person to tell them…give them a chance to assimilate the knowledge before we go visit them. They have a right to know and they have a right to know from someone they trust."

Hermione sent Severus a warning glance as he opened his mouth to say something in response. 

"Yes, Sirius," she continued before Severus could speak, "it should be you. Checkmate, Severus."

Severus knocked over his king in disgust.

"I just hope they do not decide to hex the messenger," Sirius groaned.

Hermione sent Severus another warning glance…just in case.

**__**

Telling Ron and Harry

"Why didn't you ever tell us about this, Hermione?" Harry asked in an injured tone. 

"We're your best friends and we have to find out from Sirius?" Ron exclaimed.

"When did you ever care about my love life?" Hermione asked petulantly.

Both boys became quiet.

"Well, we knew Krum wasn't good enough for you," Harry insisted.

"And we told you not to get too chummy with that no-good, two-timing, evil bastard," Ron scowled at the memory.

"We just never thought…I mean…we never realized that you would fall for someone…" Harry hesitated, trying to find the words that wouldn't sound offensive.

"So much different than you," Ron finished.

Remus smiled. "And what about me?"

"Hermione is a great person…I think everyone loves her," Harry said with a sincere expression.

"She's smart, funny, pretty…what's not to love?" Ron smirked. "Once you get past the whole book and library obsession thing that is."

Hermione threw a crumpet at Ron in mock anger and the entire group burst into laughter.

"Hermione. To me, the most important thing is that you are happy. Are you happy?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I am," she answered truthfully.

"And you, Professor Lupin?" Ron asked.

Remus nodded emphatically.

Ron turned to Harry and shrugged. "It could have been worse, Harry."

"How so, Ron?" 

"It could have been Snape."

**__**

Telling Each Other

They settled into a comfortable routine over the course of the following weeks. Hermione continued to occupy her own room as did Remus but, inevitably, one would join the other after dinner. Most nights were simply spent talking…getting to know one another better. Some nights were spent walking by the lake, simply being silent together and enjoying the feeling of having one's beloved next to them. They talked about their childhood. For the first time, Remus spoke of his parents and spoke in great detail about the incident in the forest which changed his life so long ago. 

Hermione, for her part, talked about an awkward childhood where she was adored by her parents but ignored by classmates. Always the smart one…never the pretty one or the popular one or the athletic one. She never fell into the trap of trying to change herself to suit others but she never felt completely happy either. Her love of learning doomed her to a life of loneliness it seemed. That changed when she came to Hogwarts and met Harry and Ron. They had brought out a surprisingly rebellious side to her.

One night, when they were lying entwined blissfully in each other's arms, they talked about the night of the Leaving Feast. Hermione first broached the subject.

"Remus, why did you kiss me that night?" Hermione asked, snuggling closer to him to emphasize that she was merely curious and not angry.

Remus' arms tightened on her the merest fraction and he was silent for a moment before answering.

"You were in so much pain…a pain I recognized full well, having lived with it for a long time. But I would not wish you to think that I kissed you out of pity. That was not the case at all," he started hesitantly. Hermione could feel his heart begin to quicken and knew he was nervous.

"Then what was it?" She continued.

"Hermione, I think I fell in love with you the first time I ever saw you even though it shames me to say it. Do you remember…that trip to Hogwarts in your third year?"

Hermione shuddered as she remembered the encounter with the Dementor. "Yes, I remember," she answered in a small voice.

Remus kissed her forehead. "I was not fast asleep but I was dozing. The journey to get to the station had been exhausting and I had rather hoped for a compartment to myself. But, alas, that was not to be."

Hermione giggled as she lazily ran her hand up and down Remus' arm. The hair on his arm was soft, not coarse at all and she loved the feel of it against her fingers.

"I think it was your voice that made me pay attention to you. It was a lovely voice, mature and innocent at the same time. I listened to you talking to Harry and Ron and was sorely tempted to open my eyes to see what you looked like. And then, the Dementor appeared at the door and Harry was seized with terror. I knew what he must have been seeing and I quickly performed the Patronus Spell."

"I remember the chocolate…I always identify you with chocolate," Hermione smiled.

"I remember how you and Ron looked at me as we waited for Harry to regain consciousness. It had been a very long time since anyone had ever looked at me like that."

Hermione was puzzled. "Like what?"

"Like I was someone to be admired and respected. I had always been ashamed and humiliated because of my condition and here was this beautiful young girl looking at me as if I was something beautiful as well. I was rather overcome with emotions that I was not used to."

"I thought you were wonderful…so calm when the rest of us were panicking," Hermione said quietly.

Remus kissed the top of her head softly. "I watched you after that and I noticed many things about you that I don't believe anyone else realized."

"Such as?"

"The way you bite your quill when you are thinking deeply. The fact that you bite your lower lip when you are nervous. It was not…a physical attraction, mind you. You were only thirteen…I'm not quite as depraved as all that," Remus quickly added. "The way you doodled…very geometric and symmetrical drawings…the signs of a well-organized and intelligent mind. I also saw your relationship with Harry and Ron and I knew that you were loyal, fearless and possessed all the qualities that Godric Gryffindor himself would have cherished. Of course, there was that quasi Slytherin side to you…a touch of subterfuge that intrigued me as well. "

"But you left without ever saying goodbye to me."

"You had kept my secret so well and I had repaid you by almost hurting you. The guilt was horrible…I felt that I could never look into your eyes again without feeling bitter remorse. I hated that I had placed you in such danger. I was ashamed that you had to see that…see the monster that I am. If anything had happened to you...I don't know what I would have done. I just wanted to leave and never hurt you again…I had already betrayed your trust and that was bad enough."

Hermione looked up at him. "I was so upset that you left…angry at Severus…angry at Harry because he had had a chance to talk to you. I was angry at everyone because I wanted you back so badly."

"Why?"

"Because I liked being with you. You were so knowledgeable and had been out in the world. You were strong…a lot stronger than anyone really gave you credit for. The fact that you were able to survive all that time…coping with the tremendous strain that your condition extols…I admired you. I know other students thought you were weak and perhaps too gentle but I knew otherwise. You have always had a quiet strength…the kind that does not pronounce itself through great feats like Harry but the kind that endures whatever comes and always works for the benefit of others and never gives up, no matter the cost," she replied.

"What about Viktor?"

"Viktor was a mistake. He flattered me and coddled me but I never felt that I had his love. And I realized that I was substituting him for the one I really wanted. It really was a blessing when it was over."

"You didn't seem to think so at the time."

"I was sad because I had liked Viktor in a way and I certainly didn't like feeling used. I was also very upset about leaving Hogwarts…it had become more like a home to me than my own home was. You could say that I was terrified of going out into the real world and mad at myself for feeling so weak."

"You weren't weak, Hermione. Most students feel uncomfortable leaving Hogwarts. One feels safe here," Remus assured her.

"When you found me…I realized that…that I had never loved Viktor…that it was you I loved and that realization left me speechless. It's rather unnerving to be crying over a lost love only to discover that the one who is meant for you is sitting next to you," Hermione whispered.

"I felt much the same way. It was as if all the feelings I had fought to suppress suddenly surged out of me. I was carried away on a flood of emotions and it frightened me. I just wanted to keep kissing you, holding you…I…I never wanted to let you go."

"But you did."

"I thought I was doing the right thing. I did not want to condemn you to a life with such a monster as myself," Remus murmured.

Hermione reached up to touch Remus' hair which was almost as long as Severus' now. Sandy brown with many strands of grey. Very soft to the touch.

"I was so hurt when you left," Hermione ventured. "And I was so afraid I would never see you again."

Remus nodded in understanding. "But we are here now."

Hermione snuggled closer and smiled. "Yes, we are, aren't we? I suppose it worked out for the greater good although I suspect that Severus will always congratulate himself on making us see the light."

Remus chuckled. "I can live with that."

"As can I."

A moment of silence.

"Remus?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I love you. Don't ever forget that."

"I promise you I won't. I love you too."

**__**

Telling Voldemort

"Has the werewolf left Hogwarts yet?"

"No, Master. He is being protected at Hogwarts. He will not leave now."

"Damn him. Black is there as well?"

"Yes, Master."

"It will be next to impossible to lure him from there, especially with all the people that will undoubtedly be watching him."

"It was unfortunate that Black managed to make it to Hogwarts to tell them of your brilliant plan."

"It does not matter in the slightest. There is nothing they can do to stop me now."

"Perhaps, the werewolf would come to you if you were to have something dear to him in your possession?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know that the werewolf is in love with the new Charms Professor…a Mudblood by the name of Hermione Granger."

"How interesting. Yes, I am quite familiar with that troublesome witch. She is a close friend of Potter's is she not?"

"Yes, Master. A powerful witch, to be sure, but a worthless Mudblood nonetheless."

"And does she return his affections?"

"Yes. They are inseparable. She is working with Severus on a cure for lycanthropy…trying desperately to protect him from you. Severus, for his part, is not being particularly helpful to her…ever faithful to you he is."

"Severus has earned my trust three times over, despite the whining of both Lucius and Wormtail. How noble of this little Mudblood to think that she can stop me. Perhaps a casual suggestion to her regarding the library at Durmstrang might be in order?"

"There are several excellent texts on werewolves. I could recommend one or two that might be…helpful."

"Yes, and perhaps you might want to pay her a…visit while she is there…tell her that I would like to meet her and invite her to join you. Then you can tell that Mudblood-loving werewolf that if he ever wants to see his precious little mate again, he had best come to me directly. If he complies, I will not kill her."

"Yes, Master."

"Now go. You must return to Hogwarts or else you run the risk of rousing suspicion."

"I am yours to command, Master."

"Go!"

PS: The inspiration for the subtitles comes from the movie "A Room With A View" which I absolutely adore. 

PS2: Who is the traitor? Any guesses?


	11. By The Light of the Silvery Moon

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. Dedicated to Tessie whose story "The Virus" was the first Remus/Hermione story I ever read and which made me love this couple. Also dedicated to Amy whose quality of writing always pushes me to do better. Love you both, ladies!

****

Chapter 11: By The Light of the Silvery Moon

Severus was getting desperate and this worried Hermione. Their various efforts to find a cure for Remus were leading nowhere. And Severus had discovered early on that there was an unexpected wrinkle in their plans.

__

*****Several days earlier*****

"There is a spy in Hogwarts, Hermione," Severus whispered to her one night as they sat in his laboratory, working on an idea that Remus had thought of…something regarding the fabled mutagenic properties of midnight lotus blossom roots.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock but said nothing, eyes already darting around the laboratory as if the traitor was already there…waiting for them.

"I do not know who it is… I have a few suspicions but nothing definitive," he whispered again…slicing the lotus blossom roots carefully.

Hermione gathered the sliced roots and threw them into an infusion of midnight orchid petals to steep overnight. She had wondered about Severus' strange behaviour lately but had not made that particular connection. 

"How do you know? Have you spoken to the Headmaster?" Hermione did not know why she was whispering but knew better than to question Severus on this. If he was worried, she was too.

"He is puzzled by all this but the Ministry cleared all the professors…rather intense questioning and all that sort of thing. It would be very difficult to get by all that," he whispered back as he stirred the roots slightly to ensure they were moistened on all sides.

Hermione caught the tone of his voice. "Very difficult but not impossible?"

Severus nodded gravely and Hermione frowned. Who could possibly betray them?

*****Back to present*****

At that moment, Remus walked in with a basket of silver birch bark. He looked worried as well.

"I…I have to be going soon," he murmured, rather unhappily as he placed the basket on the table and looked at them.

For a moment, Hermione was confused until Severus nudged her elbow and gestured towards the lunar calendar meaningfully. She mentally slapped herself for being thoughtless and assumed a much happier expression.

"We're done for now…nothing to do until this gillyweed has completely fermented. Severus, you wouldn't mind if I left you to clean up?" Hermione smiled cheekily at him.

He smirked. "Of course not. Why should I mind? I look forward to an evening of cleaning cauldrons with bated breath."

"Well then…I shall leave you to your fun. Good night," she grinned at his scowl and, taking Remus' arm, sauntered out with a smile that did not hint at the dread in her heart.

Once they were in the corridor, Remus stopped and turned to her.

"You have to leave me, Hermione," he said, his face pale and his eyes troubled.

"Why? You have taken your potion and are not a danger to me."

Remus shook his head. Hermione, without thinking, reached up to him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of and I cannot let you be by yourself tonight of all nights. This is a part of the person you are…a part I accept and wish to be a part of. You promised you would not shut me out of your life…I expect you to keep that promise," she whispered, caressing his hair lovingly.

His gaze pierced her…almost as if it were looking at her soul.

"We'll just sit by the lake…no one will trouble us there," she suggested. "We'll watch the sunrise together."

He still looked hesitant but nodded in agreement.

They walked together in the dusky twilight, Hermione deliberately speaking of more pleasant things such as the successes of her students or the fact that the house elves had mistakenly tinted several of Severus' robes in a garish hue of magenta…obviously intended for Sybill. Remus smiled but did not say a great deal and this made Hermione feel rather awkward.

Stopping suddenly, she turned to him and embraced him fiercely.

"Nothing will change after tonight," she whispered in his ear. His arms tightened around her spasmodically but he did not say a word.

The dark gray of the evening shifted to the darker shades of night and, before long, the first signs of the moon appeared in the sky. Remus let go of her abruptly and stared at the moon as it began to rise in the night sky.

"A thing of beauty…" his voice was changing, growing deeper with a ragged edge to it that was hardly human. "A curse…forever."

Hermione watched with sympathy and compassion as he transformed before her eyes. His muscles rippled and ripped through his robes. Hair was sprouting through his skin…limbs elongating…face changing from the man she loved to the monster he hated. She was paralyzed with terror, amazement and sheer sorrow. He fell to the ground as the transformation progressed to the point where standing upright was no longer possible. It was clear he was in agony...the pain showing on his face and especially in his eyes…which were the only things that did not change.

Finally unable to bear any more, the werewolf raised his head and howled mournfully as the last stages of the change coursed through his body. Finally, the muscles stilled and the werewolf collapsed, momentarily spent from having tried to contain the pain it was feeling.

Nervous, Hermione walked over to the tired creature and knelt cautiously by its side. She reached out a hand to touch it and then hesitated…the rational part of her head momentarily superceded by a sense of blind panic that was instinctual…a feeling deep in her belly that she should flee…run…get away. It was an overwhelming feeling that left her slightly dizzy.

She looked at the tired creature and took a deep breath, trying to relax…trying to remember that this was Remus and he would be able to sense her fear and perhaps run away from her. She tried to concentrate on the essay she had written in third year...details…focus on the details…forget the fear. Knowledge of a thing gave you a sort of power over it. A werewolf was a powerful and dangerous creature, able to rip out a person's heart with a single blow. Ferocious carnivores, werewolves had the unfortunate reputation of preferring to prey on human beings. No one ever wanted to get this close to a werewolf, fearful of being attacked. They were not rated as singularly dangerous by the Ministry of Magic without good reason.

"That isn't true any longer," she thought to herself, thinking of the Wolfsbane Potion. "Not true at all…but old habits and old beliefs die hard."

Lovingly, she caressed the silvery hair on the beast's head, hoping to convey reassurance and affection. It opened its eyes and looked up at her. Even in this form, she could recognize the expression of shame in his eyes. "You have shown such strength in bearing this affliction, Remus. I don't think people realize just how strong you really are. I don't think you realize it yourself," she spoke in what she hoped was a strong voice.

He licked her hand gently and made a whining sort of noise. 

"Let's walk over to the lake and just sit and watch the rippling waters together," she suggested and the werewolf immediately jumped up and waited for her to stand. Getting up, Hermione smiled as she began to walk to the lake, the werewolf bounding ahead of her. There was an easy grace to the beast that was reminiscent of its human counterpart. Remus could never be accused of clumsiness…he had an innate sense of himself and his surroundings.

The lake was shimmering in the light of the full moon and Hermione was dazzled by the myriad reflections in the water. It was like a sea of diamonds that sparkled and danced merrily.

"How beautiful," she sighed as she sat down on a grassy knoll, overhanging the northern shore of the lake. The werewolf sat next to her and, hesitating slightly, laid its head in her lap. She ran her hands through the rough hair again and again…relaxing herself at the feel of being so close to something this powerful and potentially dangerous.

"_I am in no danger_," she thought to herself and continued to caress Remus in just the way she would were he in his human form.

The silence was beautiful. There was no need for her to speak as she watched the tentacles of the squid surface every so often in search of bats or other such delicacies. She felt so alive…as if she were living and breathing for the first time.

"I know that you feel somehow diminished…somehow less of a man because of…all this, Remus," she started speaking. "But you have had so much difficulty to bear in your life and you have shown such strength. Really, I admire you. After everything…you have survived and you continue to fight. I sometimes wish I had your strength."

The werewolf licked her hand and nuzzled against her in a friendly fashion.

"It's true. I get so frightened sometimes. I feel that the battle is already lost and that we are only prolonging the inevitable. I am so afraid of losing my friends…of losing the ones I truly care about. I even worry about losing Severus…but don't ever tell him I said that."

The werewolf snorted somewhat and Hermione smiled.

"You have to admit it, Remus. Life at Hogwarts would be rather dull and uninspiring if it were populated with only replicas of Sybill Trelawney. Severus, for all his lack of obvious charm, adds a definite tang to life here. Sirius is the same. He is a lovable rogue who has the same strength that you do. It amazes me that someone who spent so many years in the most hellish place imaginable can still tell the worst jokes in the wizarding world."

The werewolf that was Remus snorted again.

"You know it is true, Remus. His jokes are terrible and often in poor taste. Although, I have to admit…they are funny when you think about it. Ah, my tastes have been so corrupted by the two of you," she laughed. 

Another stretch of comfortable silence. Hermione felt her eyes beginning to close as the werewolf rested in her lap. Initially, it had frightened her…after all, a werewolf's teeth were fierce weapons and could snap off her hand with a single bite. But, she had fought down her fear and forced herself to relax, silently blessing the person responsible for the Wolfsbane Potion. Now, if only a more permanent remedy would present itself.

Wait! She suddenly snapped to complete alertness, causing the werewolf to look at her curiously. She had completely forgotten about the conversation that had taken place after dinner when she had raced to her rooms to retrieve a cloak and a few other items for the evening.

__

**********Flashback**************

"Miss Granger, where are you running off too in such haste? You are hardly setting an appropriate example for our students."

Hermione turned to face Madam Pince, the librarian. A traditionalist in many ways, she had yet to call Hermione anything but 'Miss Granger'.

"Bothersome old bat," Hermione thought ungratefully. It would not be much longer before the rising of the moon.

"I am just getting my cloak, Madam Pince. It promises to be a chilly evening and I don't want to bother Poppy with another cold," Hermione explained.

"I have been speaking to Poppy and she has mentioned that you have been trying various medications in the hope of curing poor Remus' unfortunate affliction," the school librarian spoke in a thin tone.

Hermione's eyes flashed with suppressed anger. Madam Pince had been most outraged with the return of 'poor Remus' and had gone out of her way to be a most vexing woman.

"Yes, it is unfortunate," Hermione replied evenly.

"While I do not agree that such beasts should be allowed within the confines of Hogwarts," the older woman sniffed disapprovingly, "I believe that there may be a source of information you might find helpful. That is, if you are serious in your search for a cure and are not simply paying lip service for the sake of preventing another suicide attempt."

"I am not paying lip service," Hermione enunciated each word with sharp precision and glared at this infuriating woman. How dare she?

"Well, my dear. It is surprising that a young witch of your supposed intelligence has overlooked the vast stores of information in the library of Durmstrang. There are many volumes dedicated to the study of lycanthropy that are not available here. Not for a lack of trying on my part, mind you. I have always believed that students should know the worst of things as well as the best of things. However, the Headmaster believes otherwise. Most unfortunate really," she sniffed again as if to say the Headmaster was not in his right senses.

Keeping down the rising anger, Hermione focused on the one bit of helpful information.

"Durmstrang? Are you certain?" She asked.

"Of course, my dear. Books are my life…my raison d'etre if you will. This small library, while good enough in its own way, is hardly what I envisioned when I was hired into this position. Still, one can dream of a more expansive collection…volumes rich with forbidden knowledge for as far as the eye can see," Madame Pince sighed.

"But if the knowledge is forbidden, why have it in so public a place where the students might accidentally find it?"

"My dear…knowledge of a thing is quite a different matter than actual use of a thing. And, in this day and age, it would be prudent to know what you are up against and not delude yourself into thinking that a simple 'Petrificus Totalis' spell will be enough to protect you from the Dark Lord."

Hermione felt that she had heard enough. "Thank you for the information, Madam Pince…I will certainly consider it."

And she raced to her rooms without giving the older witch the chance to reply.

********End of Flashback**********

"Durmstrang!" She said suddenly, causing the werewolf to look up at her suddenly in confusion.

"I have to go to Durmstrang…Madam Pince said that there are many books on lycanthropy there…maybe I can find a key to a potential cure there."

The werewolf got up and growled at her.

"No, Remus. You cannot come with me…it is far too dangerous for you to leave the security of Hogwarts."

The werewolf howled softly.

"No, I am not going to go by myself. I would not want you to worry and besides, I will need help in researching the books. I can't ask Sirius to come with me because he is working with the Headmaster on the wards but perhaps…yes, perhaps…Severus might like to accompany me."

The werewolf that was Remus seemed satisfied with that answer and settled himself again on her lap.

"Yes, Severus would welcome the opportunity to put some distance between himself and Sirius," she chuckled at the thought as she resumed her caresses.

The night grew darker and Hermione found herself dozing and waking for much of it. She still felt very comfortable and warm and stretched luxuriously as the sky finally began to lighten, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She felt a shifting in her lap.

"I love you, Remus," she breathed quietly as she fell asleep again.

As the sun began to rise, Remus transformed back into his human self. For a moment, he contented himself with simply watching her…her face beautiful even in sleep.

"And I love you, Hermione," he murmured.

Conscious of his lack of clothing, he quickly took out the spare robes Hermione had brought with her and got dressed. Lying down next to her and gathering her into his arms, he spread her cloak to cover them both and fell asleep, his last wakeful thought being of how lucky he was. 

And he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

*********Later that morning**************

"You cannot be serious, Hermione!" Severus shouted.

"If there is a chance at discovering something that could save him from this awful curse, I am willing to take the risk, Severus!" She was screaming at the top of her lungs at the dark figure glaring down at her.

"It is too dangerous by half, Hermione. Even I cannot guarantee that I can protect you…I'm surprised that Remus agreed to it."

"I can't say that I gave him any choice in the matter," Hermione remarked ruefully, sitting down on a nearby stool and fingering her wand nervously.

"Hermione," Severus walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I understand that you want to help Remus. I truly do and I will do anything to help you…I owe Remus my life. But…this is Durmstrang. It is well known to be a haven for Dark Magic and those who are not afraid to practice it. They will not take lightly to having a muggleborn such as yourself in their midst."

"What about Polyjuice Potion? I could be Minerva or someone else," Hermione suggested.

"The protective wards in place at Durmstrang would not allow that sort of subterfuge…well, unless one were a Death Eater," Severus mused for a moment.

"I have to go. You know I do, Severus. If something were to happen to Remus…I…I don't know what I'd do. I almost lost him once…I am not about to lose him again to Voldemort."

Severus sighed, removing his hand from her shoulder and reaching up to move a stray strand of her hair back behind her ear. She pleaded with him wordlessly to help her save the man she loved.

"I know, Hermione," he sighed, "I know. I will come with you and help you in any way that I can. Merlin help me but you will be the death of me yet."

"Not if I can help it," she smiled. "Thank you, Severus."

A quiet grunt was all the answer she got in return but she smiled all the same.


	12. A Visit to Durmstrang

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. ::sighs:: Dedicated to Jesse, Michael, Marguerite and Holly. Congratulations!  
  
  
  
Chapter 12: A Visit To Durmstrang  
  
  
  
It was a chilly morning and the wind whipping its way from the east blew leaves off the ground and created miniature tornadoes of russet, gold and brown. Winter was not far off and Hermione felt that the wind hinted at the snow that was to come shortly. She was standing with Remus just inside the gates that separated Hogwarts from the outside world. Despite the warm woolen cloak and fuzzy scarf, she shivered.  
  
"Cold?" Remus asked softly, embracing her.  
  
"It's not just that," she muttered, holding him tightly.  
  
"This is not going to be easy for you.going back there. I wish I could go with you," he whispered as she continued to shiver.  
  
"I know," she replied softly, looking up at him. "I'll be all right. I am a Gryffindor and we are a strong bunch. Just, right now, I am indulging in a bit of weakness."  
  
"Hermione, it isn't weakness. You do not have pleasant memories of Durmstrang and it is well known that it does not have the bright and cheery atmosphere of Hogwarts," Remus said, not letting her go.  
  
"And there is no Dumbledore to put things to right," she sighed as she absently fingered the clasp on Remus' cloak.  
  
Remus smiled but then his expression sobered. "Hermione," he said in an urgent tone, "please be careful."  
  
"You know I will be," she tried to reassure him. "Besides, Severus will be with me."  
  
"That is true but I know you well enough that you would think nothing of sneaking away from him in search of a book or a parchment or anything that might offer a clue in the puzzle you are trying to solve. You have to promise me you will not do that," Remus fixed her with a piercing stare.  
  
"I can't believe that you are actually making me promise to stay by Severus' side," she joked, trying to relieve the tension in his face. She could tell that he was extremely worried.  
  
"Hermione," he gazed at her intently, tracing her jawline with his index finger. "I want you to promise me that you will be careful."  
  
She smiled at him and kissed his lips softly. "I will be. I promise."  
  
"If anything were to happen to you."  
  
"Nothing will happen to me. Nothing. I'll be back before you even realize that I am gone."  
  
Remus shook his head. "I highly doubt that, Hermione."  
  
They kissed again and held each other tightly as the leaves whipped around them mercilessly.  
  
The sound of someone clearing his throat caused them to pull away from each other slightly. Sirius Black stepped forward, with an abashed expression on his face.  
  
"You have an annoying habit of interrupting us, Sirius," Hermione grinned at Sirius' obvious embarrassment at having intruded on a private moment.  
  
"He is simply annoying, Hermione," Remus grumbled.  
  
"On that, I would quite agree, Remus," Severus came forward and approached the group with a smirk on his face.  
  
Remus and Hermione chuckled while Sirius' expression could have sent a Dementor running for cover.  
  
"It is time, Hermione," Severus commented, raising the hood of his cloak to cover his head. Hermione thought he looked rather intimidating with his cloak billowing around him like that.  
  
She turned to Remus and smiled sadly. "I will be back as soon as I can."  
  
He nodded wordlessly and kissed her forehead.  
  
She walked over to the gate with Severus. Sirius approached them.  
  
"Be careful, Hermione," he said in a grave tone. He then turned to Severus with a stern glare. "If anything happens to her, I will take it upon myself to disembowel you."  
  
"No need to worry, Black," Severus replied, with no change in his enigmatic expression. "If anything happens to her, I will give you the knife myself."  
  
Hermione turned to open the gates and walked out with Severus. They were gone in the blink of an eye.  
  
Sirius turned to Remus. "She will be back soon, Moony."  
  
"Not soon enough, Padfoot," Remus sighed as he followed Sirius back to the castle. "Not nearly soon enough."  
  
The two men were so intent on getting inside that they failed to notice the two figures hiding in the shadows.  
  
**************Durmstrang***************  
  
When Hermione felt the world coalesce before her once again, the first thing she felt was the bitter cold.  
  
"It's freezing," she huffed as she pulled the hood over her head.  
  
"Welcome to Durmstrang," Severus announced grandly as he lowered his hood. "Well, welcome to its gates, to be precise."  
  
Hermione gave Severus a rather frosty smirk and then turned to the massive gates with an apprehensive glance. The gates themselves were fashioned from wrought iron, intricate designs of a variety of magical beasts expertly crafted in the dark metal. The gates were hung on pillars of granite.solid, lunky things that looked capable of withstanding a blow from a Troll's club.  
  
And they were closed. Shut tight. And there didn't appear to be a gatekeeper.  
  
"Who is supposed to meet us here?"  
  
Severus pulled his wand out from his sleeve and tapped on the right pillar three times. The gates opened silently, which surprised Hermione somewhat. She was half-expecting a low creaking sound.the sort of sound one would expect to hear in a Muggle horror cinema.  
  
"Professor Margot DeKasaroff is the Potions Mistress and is one of the few professors at this institution that I can trust. She will be here shortly to take us in by a less visible entrance," Severus said quietly as they stepped through the gates and onto the grounds of Durmstrang. They did not notice the gates closing silently behind them.  
  
Hermione looked around and what she saw brought back painful memories of her relationship with Viktor. What a fool she had been to think that he loved her. What a greater fool she was to think that she loved him. The landscape was bleak and she could make out the turrets at the top of Durmstrang. Like Hogwarts, it was a castle but, unlike Hogwarts, it was cold, dark and oppressive. It was not inviting and she had always felt as if she were an intruder.  
  
"I hope she arrives soon or else I will freeze solid," Hermione muttered.  
  
"It's not even winter yet, Hermione. What would you do then?" Severus asked, his breath misting in the air.  
  
"I intend on never finding out. Winters at Hogwarts are pleasant. Winter at Durmstrang would be a nightmare," Hermione stamped her feet, trying to keep warm. She was getting irritated at Severus' calm demeanour.  
  
"Then again," she thought irreverently, "Ron always said Severus had ice water running through his veins."  
  
The sound of crunching snow turned her attention away from her freezing extremities. A hooded figure was quickly approaching them. For a moment, Hermione panicked.wondering if this were an enemy come to destroy them both. The figure stopped in front of Severus.  
  
"Siete in ritardo, caro. Avevo paura che qualcosa era sucesso a voi," the soft contralto voice of a woman emanated from the hood.  
  
Hermione could not believe her ears. It sounded like Italian? But here?  
  
"Non ti preoccupare. Ci voleva tempo. Sai che la ragazza non poteva lasciarlo senza dire niente," Severus reached out a hand to lower the woman's hood.  
  
"This is Hermione Granger?" The woman asked.  
  
"Yes, Margot. My best student who is in desperate need of your help. Hermione, this is Professor DeKasaroff," Severus replied quietly.  
  
Hermione reached out a hand in greeting and noticed that Margot had a firm, warm handshake. She was not very tall but had a strong presence. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun and, although originally brown, there were wisps of white in her tresses. Her large brown eyes sparkled and her lines had fallen in pleasant places. Altogether, Hermione thought she was an attractive woman.  
  
"Per piacere, call me Margot. A pleasure to meet you. Severus has spoken a great deal of you and thinks very highly of you," Margot smiled while Severus turned a rather peculiar shade of pink.  
  
"I hope that you can help us, Margot," Hermione pleaded. "I have to save Remus from this terrible fate."  
  
Margot looked on Hermione kindly and touched her cheek.  
  
"I will do everything I can to help you and protect you," the older woman assured her. "But for now you must eat and warm yourselves. Come with me and I will bring you to my chambers."  
  
Margot walked between Hermione and Severus as they headed towards the castle.  
  
"È chiaro che lei l'ama, Severus. Con tutto il suo cuore. Lui è molto fortunato di aver trovato una donna simile."  
  
"Come sono stato fortunato io di averti trovato, Margot."  
  
"Sciocco."  
  
Hermione wondered what Margot was smiling about but she had a feeling that there was more than friendship between the Potions Master of Hogwarts and the Potions Mistress of Durmstrang.  
  
***************Sometime later in Professor DeKasaroff's parlour***********  
  
Hermione sank into the welcoming comfort of a well padded wing chair and gratefully accepted a hot cup of cocoa from Margot.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I have added a little something to get the feeling back into your toes," the older witch said with a smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione looked around the snug parlour with satisfaction. Dark paneling, elegantly simply furniture, a fieldstone fireplace that was blazing merrily and many, many bookcases full of books in many languages.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You have an impressive collection of books, Margot," Hermione sighed, sipping her cocoa carefully.  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot looked at the books with a gaze of loving pride. "Yes, it has taken several years to acquire them but they are among my most prized possessions."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Margot, I have to ask. How is it that you speak Italian? I did not think that it was commonly spoken in this part of the world," Hermione asked, watching as Margot offered Severus a cup of cocoa.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I was born in Genoa and lived there with my parents for ten years before we moved to Budapest. I find that it is helpful to speak a language no one else really understands," Margot replied, picking up a tray upon which was a tureen filled with noodles, meat and vegetables. "My cooking skills are not gourmet by any means but I think you will like this."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sei sempre così modesta," Severus murmured.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I am sure it is delicious, Margot," Hermione said as Margot began ladling the fragrant food into bowls. Putting her mug down on an adjacent table, Hermione eagerly accepted the bowl and spoon. She had not been able to eat anything at breakfast and was quite famished.  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot then served Severus and sat down next to him with her own bowl. Hermione tried not to smile too broadly and concentrated on eating.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Despite the fact that I have such an excellent collection of books, Hermione," Margot said quietly, "the ones you seek are not here."  
  
  
  
  
  
"I did not think so," Hermione replied, reaching for a piece of bread in a basket that Margot offered.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Durmstrang has a Restricted Section in its library as well," Severus commented as he tore a piece of bread in two and dipped it into the stew. "Delizioso, cara."  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot smiled and then turned back to Hermione. "I will take you to the Restricted Section at midnight. There will be no one else there and I will stay with you to ensure your safety."  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione stopped for a moment and looked at the older witch with gratitude. "Thank you, Margot.for helping me. For helping him."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Per l'amore, si fa tutto il possibile," Margot murmured as she looked at Severus and smiled. He placed a hand on hers and held it tightly in silent affirmation.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't know exactly what you said," Hermione thought." But I completely agree with you."  
  
  
  
  
  
**********Midnight at Durmstrang*********  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione had felt so tired after her meal that she asked to lie down somewhere for a quick nap. Margot had immediately offered her own bed which Hermione gratefully accepted. She was awake now and, glancing at the antique cuckoo clock on the dresser, it was almost time to go.  
  
"I can't believe I slept so long." She thought to herself as she straightened her robes. She stepped to the door, which was open just slightly but stopped suddenly. She heard voices.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Severus, sono così preoccupato. Ho paura che Quello-Che-Non-Dev'essere Nominato ti troverà," Margot turned to him anxiously.  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus embraced her and Margot closed her eyes, two tears streaming silently down her cheeks. "Non preoccuparti di me, cara. Non ti lascerò sola. Sei la mia mano destra.ed hai le chiavi del mio cuore. Per oggi e sempre."  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot reached up to touch his cheek, the sleeve falling away from her left arm.revealing a Dark Mark!  
  
  
  
  
  
Although Hermione was only catching a word here and there of the conversation, the revelation of the Dark Mark made something crystal clear to her. "So, she is a former Death Eater as well," Hermione thought. It was little wonder Severus trusted her. She was in as precarious a situation as he was.  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus tilted her chin so that she was looking up at him. "Niente puo togliermi da te, cara. Niente.nemmeno la morte." He then leaned down to kiss her lips gently. Hermione felt guilty.a bit like an eavesdropper but there was something in this private display of affection that went so much beyond the words she could not fully understand.  
  
  
  
  
  
When they finally parted, Margot nodded, a glint of determination appeared in her eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ecco la mia strega forte e coraggiosa," Severus smiled. He pulled her sleeve down to hide the Dark Mark once again.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Si, caro. Sono tua come tu sei mio. E non dimenticarlo."  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, cara. Non lo dimenticherò mai."  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione thought she had best make her presence known and cleared her throat before walking in. Surprisingly, they did not move from their positions but merely looked at her kindly.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you ready, my dear?" Margot asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes," Hermione replied.  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot pulled her wand out of her sleeve and recited an incantation in Hungarian, which Hermione could not understand in the least. She felt a slight tingling got through her body.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What was that?" She asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
Margot smiled. "We are invisible to all but each other. It is a more effective means of concealment than an Invisibility Cloak."  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus smirked at Hermione who had the grace to blush slightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Let us go," Severus walked to the door and opened it, inviting the two witches to precede him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Walking silently through the corridors of Durmstrang, Hermione noticed immediately that there was a very cold atmosphere here. The portraits looked stern and authoritative. There was nary a smile to be seen. The suits of armor looked particularly murderous and the torches were set in sconces that resembled bunches of human bones tied together with twine.but which were actually carved stone. Doors of ebony wood, bound with black iron, periodically appeared and, although Hermione would have dearly loved to have seen a classroom, she barely gave them a second glance.  
  
  
  
  
  
Turning this way and that, down circular staircases that suddenly reared up like snakes and through secret passages that seemingly appeared from nowhere, Hermione felt completely and totally lost.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I would never be able to find my way back on my own," she thought to herself as she walked behind Margot and in front of Severus.  
  
  
  
  
  
They reached the library and Margot quickly opened the door to let them all in. Hermione stepped in and gave an excellent impression of a codfish out of water.  
  
  
  
  
  
"And I thought the Hogwarts library was massive," she thought, thoroughly impressed with the sheer size of the library and the volume of books it contained.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do try to close your mouth, Hermione," Severus smirked. "You cannot eat the books, you know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione closed her mouth and glared at Severus.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't mind him, Hermione," Margot said quietly as she locked the door. "He couldn't speak for several minutes when he first came here.and that was before he discovered the Potions section."  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus rolled his eyes as Margot walked past him with a triumphant smile. Hermione and Severus rushed to keep up with her billowing navy robes. The older witch stopped in front of a bookcase, pulled out a book, opened it and whispered something to an illustration of a basilisk. The bookcase began to slide along the wall, revealing an inner chamber which suddenly sprang to life with the light of many torches. Margot then replaced the book and entered the chamber, Hermione and Severus following her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is the Restricted Section of the library," Margot charmed the fire to light, flooding the chamber with warmth. "The books we are looking for are over there."  
  
  
  
  
  
The next few hours were spent looking over books and taking notes. Hermione felt very tired but pushed herself to keep going. Just one more book and the answer might be found. Just one more book.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I am so tired," she thought to herself as she yawned quietly, dropping her quill to stretch her fingers. She looked over to Severus and Margot who were reading over one of the more promising books.  
  
  
  
  
  
Except.they weren't moving.  
  
  
  
  
  
Not at all.  
  
  
  
  
  
Curious, and somewhat alarmed, Hermione stood up and walked over to them. She gasped and made to pull out her wand when a hand clapped itself over her mouth and second one grabbed her hand. Then there was the sound of laughter.  
  
  
  
  
  
"My dear Miss Granger," A familiar voice came from the shadows. Madame Pince stepped out and looked at her former student disdainfully. "I see you decided to take my suggestion that you examine the books of Durmstrang. You Gryffindors and your misguided sense of bravery and nobility. See how easily you are manipulated?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stupid Mudblood," a voice from behind her surprised her. She knew that voice as well.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Roberts was very helpful in finding a way to get to you," Madame Pince walked over to Hermione, standing right in front of her. "And he expects to be well rewarded."  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione did not like the cruel smile on Madame Pince's face.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thank you Madame Pince," Roberts replied submissively. "Can I have her now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, boy," Madame Pince snapped irritably. "We will return to the inn and, once you are in your room, she is yours to do with as you will until we leave for the Dark Lord's headquarters tomorrow night.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Perfect." Hermione's legs were sagging from fright and disgust. "Can we kill these two?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"The Dark Lord has no use for them. The Frozen Hibernation spell will wear off and they will have to live with the knowledge that they delivered her into our hands and, consequently, that accursed werewolf. Besides, they have to deliver the message to that king of fools, Dumbledore," the librarian practically spat the name out in hatred. Turning, she pointed her wand at Hermione. "Silentium Legatum."  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione felt her hands suddenly bound behind her back and, when Roberts moved his hand, she found herself unable to talk. Chuckling, the young man walked in front of her, pushing her backwards until she was up against the cold stone wall.  
  
  
  
  
  
"We are going to get to know one another much better, Professor Granger," he drawled as he pressed against her, his arousal impossible to ignore. "And I am very much looking forward to enjoying you." A maniacal grin gave his face a macabre expression as his hands fondled her unwilling body.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Stop it, Roberts. I said to wait until we're back at the inn," Madame Pince turned to them.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Just giving the Mudblood a taste of what's to come. After a werewolf, she'll find me surprisingly.gentle." He leaned down to bite her throat hard, causing tears to spring to her eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
Madame Pince pointed to a torch upon which was scrawled a rudimentary serpent. "Here is the portkey. Let's go."  
  
  
  
  
  
Within moments, they were gone. 


	13. Unraveling At All Ends

**_Disclaimer_**_:  Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR.  Only two more months until Chamber of Secrets is released…I can't wait!!  Now, the burning question…where is Book 5????_

Chapter 13:  Unraveling At All Ends 

Severus Snape was furious with himself.  Scratch that.  He had long since passed the realm of fury and had descended into a maelstrom that could only be described as a vicious combination of guilt, self-loathing and blind wrath.

Finally returning to some semblance of normalcy and waiting with increasing impatience for the use of his various limbs to return, he cursed himself a Hufflepuff fool for having been taken in like a naïve first year.

"In front of me all the time and I didn't even see it," he grumbled as he held onto Margot's limp form, bundled in a warm cloak, and summoned her broomstick for the short flight to the school gates.  He was thankful that, although he had never been fond of the sport, Margot had been an excellent Quidditch player (a Beater) and had a more than adequate broom for the short journeys that could not be accomplished through the more simple means of disapparation.  There was no time to lose…although he had little hope that he would be able to spare Hermione from the clutches of that brute, Roberts.

Still, little was better than none at all.

"Margot?  Can you hear me?  Mi senti, cara?" He asked with urgency as he landed just outside the gates, fingers already turning blue from the cold.  She moaned slightly and opened her eyes.  Awareness flashed through her expression and she tried to clutch at him but only succeeded in flopping awkwardly.

"Calm yourself, Margot.  Calmati.  We have to apparate immediately to the gates of Hogwarts.  Are you strong enough?"

She nodded.  "Si, caro," she murmured thickly as Severus pulled out his wand and they both disappeared with a faint popping sound.

Opening the gates quickly, Severus bundled Margot onto the broom and whisked towards the castle, praying that no one would see them before they could speak to the Headmaster.

"Li ammazzerò," Margot hissed under her breath as she slowly regained strength.  "I swear by the Seven Maiden Stars that I will kill them both for this."

"I fear that there will be many who will want that honour for themselves," Severus murmured angrily as he helped Margot off the broom.  They cast a concealment spell over themselves and hurried to the Headmaster's office.

"Toffee Tongues," Severus whispered raggedly to the griffin.  The door opened and they both hurried towards the office.

Albus Dumbledore was well accustomed to having his sleep interrupted by mischievous seventh year students but was nonetheless alarmed when his office bell chimed at 3:30 in the morning.  He sleepily pulled on his dressing gown and hurried down.

"Severus?" He asked, blinking at the image of the pale, sweating and utterly miserable professor in front of him.  "And, is that you, Professor DeKasaroff?  Good heavens…what are you doing here?  Is Hermione with you?"

"She has been taken…right from beneath our noses," Severus paced the room frantically.

"Please don't curse anything in my office, Severus," Dumbledore sighed, his face clearly showing his deep concern for the young professor.

"It was your librarian, Albus…Pince…and a student," Margot sighed, collapsing on a chair.

"Tell me what happened," Dumbledore sat on the chair behind his desk and removed his glasses to rub his eyes wearily.  

"Margot and I were hit with a variant of a frozen hibernation spell…they simply grabbed Hermione and used a portkey to escape.  It was Dark Magic, Albus.  No one could have simply left Durmstrang in such a manner," Severus exclaimed, more than a little nervous at the bleak expression in the older man's eyes.

"They left a note," Margot produced a piece of parchment.  "Bastardi," she whispered under her breath.

Dumbledore took a deep breath, re-adjusted his spectacles and accepted the note, scrutinizing it carefully.

**_If you ever hope to see your little Mudblood friend again, I would suggest that your werewolf professor be brought to us immediately.  The Dark Lord will not kill her if he surrenders himself.  The secret to where is in this parchment.  See if you can discover the right location._**

The note was not signed…it did not need to be.

"I failed her Albus.  I promised to look after her," Severus muttered as he stared morosely into the empty fireplace.

"You came here as quickly as you could…" Dumbledore began.

"You don't understand!" Severus interrupted harshly, whirling around to face him.  "You were not there, Albus!  You did not hear what Roberts was going to do to her." Severus' voice held so much pain that Margot stood up and walked over to where he stood and embraced him.

"Non è colpa tua.  They ensnared me as well…we were both fooled," she whispered into his hair.

"She is right, Severus.  Besides, we must discuss the matter with Sirius to see if we have any chance of finding Hermione and sparing her from any harm," Dumbledore seemed to regain his strength and composure as he said this, standing up and eyes blazing with a cold determination that heartened Severus.

"What about Remus?" Severus asked hesitantly, standing up himself and holding Margot's hand tightly.

"He will be informed…he has a right to know," Dumbledore answered gravely.

"Are you certain that is the wisest course, Headmaster?" Margot asked, looking at Dumbledore with alarm.  "He may try to flee the safety of these walls."

"It would be far worse for him to find out through other means," Dumbledore replied significantly.  "He knew the risk she was taking."

Severus was not entirely convinced that this was the best plan of action but could see no other alternative.  He only hoped that when Sirius came to disembowel him, that the implement was at least sharp.

_************In the staff room…several minutes later*********_

Remus was the last to arrive at the staff room and saw that the others were all speaking to each other hurriedly, in hushed whispers.  He looked around the room and saw Severus and a witch he thought he recognized speaking to a visibly angry Sirius.  He looked around again.

He did not see Hermione.

And immediately he ran towards Severus with a cold, sinking feeling in his heart.

"Where is she?" He asked.

Severus looked at him in pity and tried to say something but found it difficult to do so.

Sirius turned to Remus in compassion.  "They were ambushed at Durmstrang.  All of them."

"Where is Hermione?" Remus asked again, dread apparent in his eyes.

"She is still alive, Remus, but we do not know where they have taken her," Dumbledore stepped over to the small group.

"They?  Who are they?" Remus asked.

"Pince and that fifth year, Roberts," Severus muttered angrily.

"Rotten pieces of filth," Sirius grumbled.

"What happened?" Remus grabbed Severus' robes.

"They were hiding in the Restricted Section of the library and hit Margot and myself with a frozen hibernation spell," a vein in Severus' forehead was noticeably pulsating as he spoke.  "We could hear what was happening but could not move and could not speak.  They left a parchment behind…"

Remus released Severus abruptly.  "They want me, don't they?"

Severus could not meet Remus' gaze but he nodded.  

Sirius put an arm around Remus' shoulders.  "We'll find her. Remus."

Remus pulled away from Sirius angrily.  "What does the parchment say?"

Dumbledore held it out to the distraught man and Remus grabbed it, scanning the words quickly.

"Remus, do you know how we can unlock the secret to the location where she is being held?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus looked up warily.  "No, I do not."  He returned to scanning the parchment, as if trying to see the key to the hidden message.

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" Sirius asked, pacing the room wildly.

"We must be calm, Sirius.  We must think rationally or else we risk making a bad decision," Margot interposed.

"Anything is better than staying here like a bunch of frightened first years," Severus grumbled.  "We have to

"I think I know how to unlock the spell but I need an item in my rooms.  I have a special set of Omniculars that should allow us to see the hidden words," Remus looked to Dumbledore for permission - which was reluctantly granted.

Several minutes passed on in an uncomfortable silence.

"I still don't understand how they managed to use a portkey to get out of Durmstrang," Sirius muttered, staring out the window with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It's powerful Dark Magic, Sirius," Margot explained.  "I know many of my colleagues would have been very accepting of the plan had they become aware of it.  I cannot now return as my true loyalties can no longer be hidden."

"I have asked you before to stay with me," Severus said very softly.  Margot turned to him with a smile but something caught her eye and she walked swiftly to the door of the office.  She bent down to pick up a parchment that was lying on the floor.  She read it and gasped.

"Albus…the parchment," she hurried to the Headmaster's side and held it out to him.  He looked at it and his expression became very grave.

"What is it?" Severus asked.  Dumbledore handed him the parchment.

**_If you ever hope to see your little Mudblood friend again, I would suggest that your werewolf professor be brought to us immediately.  The Dark Lord will not kill her if he surrenders himself.  The secret to where is in this parchment.  See if you can discover the right location._**

****

**_Come to the old manor on the edge of the Muggle town of Glasgow.  The map is indicated below.  Come alone or you will be presented with her corpse._**

****

"This wasn't here before!" Severus shouted as Sirius looked over his shoulder, eyes widening in disbelief.

"The parchment was spelled so that it revealed the secret words at Remus' touch," Dumbledore sighed, looking out his window.

"But that means Remus knows where they are keeping her!" Sirius shouted.

"He will go after her!" Severus shouted.

Dumbledore looked at the small group sadly.  "I am afraid he is already gone."

Sirius and Severus looked at one another for a moment before dashing from the office.

"Margot, you had best accompany them.  They will need you," Dumbledore said wearily.  "I should have known…should have stopped him."

"Do not blame yourself, Headmaster.  Short of shutting him up in a cage, you know that he would have gone after her regardless of the danger," Margot replied.

"I realize that, my dear…but it does little to ease my sense of guilt."

_****************Outside the manor*****************_

Remus shivered as he eased his broomstick to a stop outside the decrepit building.  It had taken some time to get there and the journey had not been easy.  Wind whipped through his thin robes, chilling him to the bone.  Stepping off cautiously and transfiguring his mode of transportation into a quill, he turned to face the building.

It was not remarkable in any sense of the word.  More or less, it looked like any other residence that had known a period of luxury and grace and had fallen into ignoble disrepair.  Most of the windows were cracked.  The brickwork was falling apart and the weeds choked out what few blades of grass dared to make their presence known.

Remus opened the gates slowly, wincing as the awful screeching sound assailed his ears.  He walked up the pathway of broken fieldstone, wand out and watchful for traps.  The only sounds he heard were the quite padding of his footsteps and the continual rustling of the wind through the dead leaves and his own clothing.

He reached the door and looked at it for a moment, uncertain as how he should proceed.  There was a knocker, a grotesque gargoyle, half decayed with tarnish.  Gripping his wand firmly, he lifted the handle of the knocker and tapped three times.

For several moments, nothing happened.

And then the door slowly opened…

"You!" Remus shouted angrily as he jumped back two steps and pointed his wand at the figure in the doorway.

An arrogant laugh filled the air and Remus felt his wand magically stripped from his hand and delivered to none other than Lucius Malfoy himself.

"You bastard!  Where is Hermione?  I swear if you have harmed her in any way, I will take great pleasure in dismembering you personally." Remus practically growled at the taller man in rage.

For a moment, an expression of fear crossed Lucius' face but that quickly passed.  Shrugging nonchalantly, he pointed his wand at Remus.

"I really expected a better reception from you, Lupin," he drawled.  "After all I went through to ensure that your precious Mudblood wasn't sullied."

Remus' eyes flashed in repressed fury.

"Roberts was practically ready to ravish her as he apparated back to his room but I was already there, waiting.  It was really quite difficult to get him to listen to reason but I managed to save her honour," Lucius with false drama.

"What would a pathetic excuse for a wizard like yourself know about honour?" Remus asked in a dangerous voice.

"Your opinion of my character is hardly of any importance to me.  You're a werewolf and, as such, beneath my consideration in any way.  The only reason why I do not blast you into the hereafter is that the Dark Lord has an interesting use for you."

"I am here as part of an agreement.  I am here to protect Hermione.  I will not serve the Dark Lord."

Lucius smiled maliciously.  "You do not have any choice in the matter, Werewolf.  You will serve our cause admirably.  I have seen you in your other form and you are deceptively strong and able to cause a great deal of damage to the undesirables in our world."

Remus blanched.  "I will not do it.  I will die first."

"That is entirely up to you although I do not think it will make the little Mudblood very happy.  Come, Werewolf.  Your new Master wishes to speak to you," Lucius stepped to one side in a clear invitation to enter.  Remus stepped into the manor.

It was a short walk through a dark hallway before Remus entered a small, formal parlour.  The furniture was new but he could see the ruined plaster and the peeling wallpaper.  The fireplace was roaring with flame, warming the room considerably.

He did not see Hermione anywhere.

"I am pleased that you have seen reason, Remus Lupin," a sinister voice hissed from behind him.  Turning quickly, Remus saw the Dark Lord looking at him with some amusement.

"I am here for Hermione," Remus replied.  "And it is you who has yet to see reason, Voldemort."

"You need to be taught the basics of courtesy, Werewolf."  With that, Remus felt his throat tightening, making it difficult to breathe.  Voldemort watched him keenly as he vainly gasped…falling to the ground and swiftly losing consciousness.

And then it stopped.  Voldemort looked down on him as Remus gulped in the sweet air instinctively.  Quickly recovering, Remus stood up and looked at Voldemort defiantly.

The Dark Lord sneered.  "You will call me Master in time, Werewolf."  He turned quickly and his robes swirled around him like a black cloud as he sat down on a nearby chaise.  He elegantly indicated, through the swift motion of a pale hand, that Remus should sit down on an adjacent chair.

"I prefer to stand…Voldemort," Remus replied to the unsaid demand.  The Dark Lord's eyes flashed red for a moment before his expression returned to the usual insolent regard.

"If you prefer to suffer, I am hardly in a position to stop you.  Would you like something to drink?  I have a lovely bottle of Remy XO that you will certainly appreciate."  Voldemort clapped his hands twice and a tray of refreshments appeared.  He poured some amber liquid out of a crystal decanter into a small goblet and held it out for Remus who recoiled in pain.

"What?  No appetite for a manly drink. Remus?"  Voldemort sneered as he drank the contents himself.  He looked at the goblet more closely and gasped in mock horror.  "Why, how thoughtless of me.  The goblet is made of silver."

Remus simply glared, keeping a safe distance from the offending metal.

Voldemort clapped his hands again and the refreshments and the goblet vanished.

"Enough of this foolishness.  You are here to serve me but, before you are ready to join my ranks, you will be taught obedience and respect.  Lucius will take you to your new accommodations."  Voldemort stood up and approached Remus.  "And you will be obedient…you will be my faithful servant.  Or you will die, and not by your own hand.  Lucius, please return to him his wand.  It has been charmed so that most spells will not work," Lucius handed Remus his wand and the younger man could feel something Dark blocking the normal flow of magic from the wand into his hand.

"What about Hermione?  Where is she?"

"How you do go on about the worthless Mudblood," Voldemort sighed.

"Let her go.  I am here now.  Keep your end of the bargain!"  Remus shouted.

"I fully intend to," Voldemort sneered as he waved his wand and Remus felt his hands and feet being bound invisibly.  He floated several inches in the air.

"Now, since you are so insistent on seeing her, I will take you there myself.  You will see that I am a wizard of my word," the Dark Lord hissed as Remus felt himself moving through the room and through an open doorway.

Down another corridor and through another doorway.  Down a steep staircase.  Another door, somewhat heavier and more fortified than the others.  And then…an area which could only be described as a dungeon.

"She is over there," Voldemort waved his hand and Remus floated to one of the cells where he could see Hermione, lying on the floor, asleep and breathing quietly…apparently unharmed.

"She is quite all right.  As you can see, I have ensured that she was not mistreated."

"Let her go."

Voldemort laughed…the sound of it echoing eerily off of the damp stone walls.

"My dear Werewolf, why should I do that?"

"You said you would let her go if I surrendered myself."

More laughter and Remus felt icy cold shards of abject fear piercing his heart.

"No, Remus.  I only promised that I would not kill her.  Now, into the cell you go with your beloved Mudblood."  The door to the cell opened and Remus floated into it.  The door closed quietly and suddenly he fell to floor, free and yet not free.  He stood up and rushed to the door but could not open it.

"If I am not mistaken, Werewolf, there are only two days left to the full moon," Voldemort said significantly, holding out the vial of Wolfsbane Potion that had been in Remus' pocket.  Remus suddenly grabbed at his pockets but turned up nothing.

"As I said, Werewolf." Voldemort continued as he walked out of the dungeon, pausing at the doorway to look at him in triumph.  "I have kept my end of the bargain.  I will not kill her.  You will."

The Dark Lord closed the door quietly but the sound of his laughter echoed still…filling Remus' heart with dread as he realized the truth of the Dark Lord's words.   In two nights' time, he would transform and, without the Wolfsbane Potion, he would lose himself completely to the beast within.

"What am I going to do now?" He thought, looking at the sleeping form with anguish.


	14. Anger and Despair

**_Disclaimer_**_:  Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR.  There are four more chapters to go._

Chapter 14:  Anger and Despair 

Remus felt terribly uncomfortable and, for the most part, cold.  He first became aware of the dreary bit of light shining through an equally dreary bit of window high up near the ceiling.  It cast a ray of rather nondescript grey light onto the damp walls of the prison that was now his home and he shivered slightly.

Tomorrow night…the night of the full moon.

He could feel it, of course.  Knew, beyond all doubt, that it was coming.  He had been taking the Wolfsbane Potion for so long he had forgotten how it felt to be so close to the time of transformation without it.  There was no dulling of his senses.  They were acute to the point of being practically unbearable.  He could see with a sharpness that was cutting.  Hear the various noises within the manor…a veritable cacophony of sound that was not audible to the ordinary human ear.

But all he could feel.  All he could taste.  All he could smell.

Hermione…lying in his arms.  Trusting him.  Loving him.

He was nothing more than a monster.

If only she had not found him so quickly when he had slashed his wrists.

Looking down at her sleeping face, he could see the slight lines that constant worrying over Harry and Ron and, yes, even himself, had created.  Hers was not a face of innocence.  She had seen far too much evil for that and it had touched her in many ways.  Caressing her hair softly, he could see several silver strands within the honey brown masses.  For a moment, he wondered if it bothered her.  It, in itself, did not bother him but he felt angry that her childhood had been so brutally taken away from her.

_"Just as mine was,"_ he thought to himself wistfully, touching her cheek softly, marveling at the soft texture.  Despite her surroundings, he could still detect a hint of vanilla and strawberries and, he almost chuckled, the dust from musty old textbooks.

A slight movement turned his attention back to her.

"Remus?" She murmured as her eyes fluttered open.  "Are you all right?"

Remus was once again reminded that here was a strong woman, not the young child he had taught so many years before.  She had grown in intelligence and strength.  Would it be enough to sustain her until…

"When did you get here?" She asked.

"Last night.  Hermione…he…The Dark Lord took my supply of Wolfsbane."  Remus turned his eyes away from hers, unable to bear the silent accusation he was sure would be there.

"I can't transform, you know," she said sadly.  Turning to her, he saw no accusation.  There was only profound sadness in her expression.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't change into my animagus form.  My wand…it's not particularly useful right now." Hermione pulled it out of her sleeve and showed it to him.  He could sense the magical energy being contained somehow.  Blocked.

"Dark magic," he muttered.

"It's not your fault, Remus.  I don't blame you," Hermione ventured, reaching up to move aside a lock of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.

"Tomorrow night…"

"I know."  Remus felt her tremble and she buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she cried brokenly.

Fate was a cruel mistress and was not without a sense of irony.  He tried to comfort her, because only he was in a position to do so, but realized that tomorrow night would be a completely different matter.  Who would comfort him the following morning?

"I love you, Remus," she whispered, her voice heavy with tears.

The words cut him like a dull sword and he found himself unable to answer.  He simply held her close and tried to convey to her, without the words that refused to come out, that he felt the same.

A sharp creaking noise caused them both to sit up suddenly.  Wormtail entered, carrying a covered tray.  Remus could pick up the smell of bread and cheese and some mediocre quality wine.

"Good morning.  I trust you slept well," Wormtail's voice had the edge of hysterical madness as he set the tray down by a narrow opening on the floor and backed away quickly.

"It's a shame that you aren't in here with me, Wormtail," Remus growled, baring his teeth slightly.  "We have so much to talk about.  Why you betrayed Lily and James…why you never amounted to anything more than sniveling underling who relies on his master's coat tails for protection.  You were always a coward.  A traitorous coward."

Wormtail paled for a moment at the accusation but quickly laughed at Remus.

"Why not?  It's not as if it is a huge secret.  Why did I betray James and Lily?  Lily was mine.  Lily belonged to me.  James knew that I loved her and yet he went out and seduced her and got her pregnant with that brat Potter."  Wormtail's eyes were glazed as he ranted.

"Lily pitied you.  She felt that you were always picked on and asked us to be your friends.  She never loved you," Remus declared.

"She was mine.  The Dark Lord promised her to me.  She did not have to die!!" Wormtail screamed frenetically, tearing at his hair.  He looked like someone who was rapidly losing his grip on sanity and he began muttering to himself about poor Wormtail.

"What are you talking about?" Remus' voice had taken on a dangerous quality.

"Only James and the child were supposed to die.  Lily was to be spared for Wormtail.  A gift to reward Wormtail's loyalty."

"And she decided that staying with a husband she loved and saving a child she adored was worth more than her own life.  Poor Wormtail…you didn't get your little reward, did you?"

Hermione felt slightly sick during the conversation but stood up with Remus and looked at Wormtail with a critical eye.  This was not a man.  This was nothing remotely human.

"Wormtail waited a very long time for the Dark Lord to return…masqueraded as the red-headed boy's faithful pet for years.  Waiting all the time for news."  
  


"You must be thrilled that your master has returned.  He has obviously rewarded you with a new arm," Hermione muttered, remembering how Harry had been shaking when he had told her the story of that night in fourth year.

"Wormtail has not always followed orders properly."  The thin man looked confused for a moment.  "Wormtail has been very lonely and wanted a companion.  Someone to take Lily's place.  Wormtail wanted the Mudblood."

Remus lunged at the bars of the prison, reaching his arms through in a futile attempt to reach Wormtail's throat.

"Remus, no.  Don't," Hermione begged as she tried to pull him back.  Wormtail laughed like a raving lunatic.

"Yes, Remus.  Wormtail wanted the Mudblood.  Wanted her in Wormtail's bed.  Pretty, she is.  A good mate for Wormtail.  But, she chose you," Wormtail spat on the ground in disgust.

"He is more of a man than you will ever be," Hermione said in a dead calm voice, holding Remus tightly.

"Will you think that tomorrow night?  Wormtail doesn't think so.  Maybe you do love him, Mudblood.  And maybe he loves you too.  Won't help you.  You'll still be dead.  Is being killed by someone you love better than living with someone you despise?"

"Yes."

Wormtail approached the cell, careful to stay out of Remus' reach.  "Are you sure, Mudblood?  Wormtail could let you out.  The Dark Lord owes Wormtail a pretty reward…and you are very pretty.  Almost like Lily."  Wormtail licked his lips as he let his eyes wander over Hermione's form.

Remus snarled but Hermione held him back.   She stepped towards Wormtail.

"You would let me out?"

Wormtail was almost panting.  "Yes…Wormtail would let you out…take you to my little room.  Hide you away from the Dark Lord.  Wormtail is very good at hiding."

"You would take me to your room?  And hide me?" She stepped closer, holding the bars and pressing her body against them.

"Yes.  Hide you forever.  Wormtail's little Mudblood.  So pretty."  Wormtail's hand reached towards her.

"And what would stop me from slitting your pathetic, scrawny neck?" She yelled as she tried to grab Wormtail who only just managed to avoid being trapped.  He turned to her in shock and anger.

"I would much rather die than be touched by you," She screamed as she shook the bars in frustration.  Remus quickly embraced her and glared at the other man, disgusted by the scent of arousal pervading his nostrils.

"Mudblood will die and Wormtail will enjoy the show.  Enjoy your breakfast…Wormtail has other matters to attend to."  And, with that, Wormtail left the room.

"I hate him," Hermione muttered under her breath as Remus held her close.

"I know."

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let me go."

"I won't."

****************The next morning…outside…within sight of the manor************

"We should have told Ron and Harry sooner," Sirius grunted as he peered through the bushes.  It was cold and there was a frigid rain that blew into their faces and seemed to steal the warmth from their bodies.  

"Albus did not think it was wise.  He felt that they would do something…imprudent," Severus whispered as he watched the front of the manor with cautious eyes.  

"Imprudent my…"

"Sirius, please.  If you keep on like this, someone will discover us," Margot practically hissed at him.  Sirius looked rather sheepish at the admonition.

"I haven't seen anyone come in or out of the building yet," Severus sighed.  "This is most unusual.  We cannot risk a full assault because we could be severely outnumbered and there is a high likelihood of harm coming to Hermione and Remus…and that is not acceptable.  He should never have gone after her.  I knew it was a trap.  The Dark Lord would not release Hermione simply because Remus turned himself in.  I fear he has a darker purpose in mind."

Sirius paled visibly.  "But Remus took a supply of Wolfsbane Potion.  You found it missing from your laboratory.  He should be fine."

"Unless the Dark Lord searches him for it.  He knows that Remus uses it…it is a simple matter to remove it from him.  Even if Remus misses one dose…the results would be tragic."

"But the Dark Lord has no use for Hermione," Margot whispered.  "She is a muggleborn and although her powers are extraordinary, we come back to the point that he does not need her."

"That is my point exactly." Severus said pointedly.  The implied meaning was not lost on the other two and the resultant silence was a testament to that.

"Wait.  We are all forgetting something.  Hermione is an animagus.  She can transform so that Remus will not hurt her," Sirius commented.

"It is impossible for an animagus to transform without a wand.  I do not think the Dark Lord would be foolish enough to allow her to keep her wand," Severus replied evenly.  Sirius sat down heavily on the cold ground, shaking his head in dismay.

"Remus has never taken a human life, Severus," he murmured brokenly.  "And he loves Hermione.  I acted like an idiot when I found out…thought she should have gone with Harry or Ron.  Thought he was too old for her.  I guess…I just didn't realize how deep their feelings for each other were."

"I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that he does not hurt her," Severus placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder.  "I promise you that, Black."

Sirius nodded.

"It's unfortunate that Wormtail has not yet made an appearance.  I would have very much liked to speak with him," Sirius smirked without humour.

"Speak with him or wring his neck?" Margot asked archly.  "I would make sure he was dead before you got to him.  He has much to answer for."

Sirius looked at her curiously but her gaze remained on the front door of the manor.  Some answers, it appeared, would have to wait.

"How many wards do you think are on the place?" Sirius asked Severus, who was fingering his wand anxiously.

"Far too many to even think about what you are contemplating," Severus answered shortly.

"And what exactly was I contemplating?"

"You were thinking that we should walk in with you as a prisoner."  
  


Sirius looked at the Potions Master in shock.  "Severus, I always suspected you could read minds but this baffles me.  How did you know?"

"Because you are so blatantly obvious and it is such a Gryffindor thing to do…to offer oneself as a potential victim in order to save the others.  It will not work.  Margot and I will not be believed.  We are traitors…worthy of only one thing.  The Killing Curse."

Margot turned to Severus gravely.  "L'amore non muore mai, caro."

A curt nod was all the response Severus gave…and it spoke volumes.

"I don't mean to be a wet blanket but I don't speak Italian…please pity your poor linguistically challenged colleague," Sirius commented, changing into his animagus form.

"A wet dog is just as bad as a wet blanket," Severus grumbled as he pushed the huge animal away.  "And I seem to recall that you never applied yourself to Ancient Runes all that much when you were a student at Hogwarts."

"Always such a character, Sirius," Margot smiled.

A slight noise silenced all three of them and turned their attention to the manor.  There, huddled in a large woolen cloak, was a tall figure!  It was difficult to say whether it was male or female but it seemed to be quite content, standing out in the rain.  Was it waiting for someone…or standing guard?

"Who is that?" Margot asked.

"I can't tell," Severus was straining his eyes but to no avail.  "Black…make yourself useful."

With a 'humph', Sirius sniffed the air cautiously, carefully and quietly moving to the edge of the bushes that concealed them all.  Again, he raised his nose and sniffed.  Moving back quickly, the dog suddenly became Sirius Black again.

"It's Lucius Malfoy!" Sirius whispered, his eyes wide with surprise.  "The slimy git."

"What would he be doing here?" Margot asked, a look of disgust on her face.  "This does not bode well, Severus."

"I don't know," Severus smiled a very cruel smile.  "If he is here, chances are that the other Death Eaters have not been summoned.  It could be advantageous to our plan but I am not certain.  However, I fully intend to find out."

"What do you plan to do?" Sirius asked as Severus produced a tiny vial of a clear, colourless liquid and looked at it appraisingly.

"Fate has offered us Lucius Malfoy and I fully intend to use him as a means of getting us inside."

"I am assuming that this will involve some…persuasion on our part," Margot smiled, pulling out her wand.

Sirius' eyes lit up with understanding.  "Yes," he said, pulling out his wand as well. "Let's persuade him."

"Wait…we must be discreet.  Margot…an Imperius Curse, if you will," Severus asked quietly.  Margot nodded.

"But that is forbidden.  Are you sure that this is wise?" Sirius asked.

"In this case, Black, it is entirely justified.  Besides, it is not as if we are going to hurt him all that much…we just need him to come and talk with us," Margot replied.

"And I will make certain he tells us anything we wish to know," Severus held up the vial.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sirius asked.

"If you were thinking of that potent yet delectable distillate from a bottle of Ogdens, commonly known as "screech", then you would be mistaken. However, if you were thinking of Veritaserum then, yes, you are correct.  This is the most potent version I have developed to date…requiring just a taste to render a person completely and totally open and honest.  Just one drop and Lucius will answer any question we put to him.  We need to know what the Dark Lord's plans are, if there are any other Death Eaters inside the manor and where Hermione and Remus are being kept.  It's a big place.  We can't waste time looking through all the rooms," Severus explained.

"And he would be able to tell us about the wards protecting the manor," Sirius whispered excitedly.

"That he would," Severus drawled.  

"And then what?"

"And then Lucius will take us all in as prisoners and ensure we are placed in the exact same place as Remus and Hermione."

"Will he be holding our wands?" Margot suddenly asked, a look of apprehension on her face.

Severus thought about it for a moment and then he tore three small branches off of the bush in front of them and quickly transfigured them into exact replicas of their wands.

"Lucius will carry these in as proof that we are unarmed and, therefore, harmless.  We will not be watched as closely if we have no means of summoning our magic.  Or, if it is as I suspect, the Dark Lord will spell these false wands so that they will not work and return them to us…but he will not suspect that they are not the genuine articles.  He is not terribly good at subterfuge."

"Smoke and mirrors," Sirius smiled appreciatively at the deception.  "I have to say, Snape, I am impressed.  Being a Slytherin isn't all bad."

"Neither is being a Gryffindor…although I can hardly believe I just said that."

"What happens when we get taken to where Remus and Hermione are being held?"

"We ensure that Lucius convinces all parties concerned that we are to be left alone.  The Dark Lord will certainly agree to that.  He would simply relish the idea of our apparent inability to help our friends.  And we would almost certainly want us present when Remus transforms."

"And then?"

"I haven't gotten to that part of the plan yet."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"I'm working on it," Severus snapped impatiently.

Margot smiled indulgently at both wizards.  She then turned around, pointed her wand at the unsuspecting Lucius and whispered "Imperio."


	15. Even a Malfoy Has His Uses

**_Disclaimer_****_:  Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR.  _**

**Chapter 15****:  Even a Malfoy Has His Uses**

Hermione had awoken first that particular morning and she stretched luxuriously, relishing in the warmth of Remus' embrace before realizing, with a sudden start, where she was and the mortal danger in which she found herself.  She looked at how Remus' arms were wrapped around her protectively…shielding her from anyone who might harm her.

He truly did love her.

But he would not be able to save her this time.

It seemed that no one could.

Now, she was fighting to keep that sick feeling of despair firmly down in the pit of her stomach.  Trying to summon up some of that famed Gryffindor strength and bravery to sustain her from the approaching horror.  For one terrifying moment, she thought she would start crying but she managed to hold back her tears and stifle the sobs that threatened to shriek out of her.

It was so unfair.

She could only hope that someone would pay for doing this to them.

She snuggled closer to Remus and listened to his steady, sleepy heartbeat in an attempt to calm her frayed nerves.  She thought back to his last transformation.  He had frightened her despite knowing that he would not hurt her.  She had not been able to completely control her instinctive reaction to flee from him and she wondered if he had sensed her unease.  He probably had but had never commented on it afterwards.  If he had been hurt, he had hidden it well from her.

Breathing in his musky scent, Hermione wondered what would happen the next morning.  What would Remus do?

And this frightened her more than anything.  But, she found that her fear was quickly fading, being replaced by an anger at those who had played with them in this grotesque and macabre way.  She knew she could never achieve justice on her own and, with a sudden flash of intuition, she realized that Remus would not be able to either unless…she gave him a reason to.  She had to give him a purpose…a determination to avenge this horrible fate that he had always feared and she had underestimated.

She would die…but not before asking one last thing.  And Hermione knew that Remus would not refuse.  Because he loved her.  And because he knew she loved him as well.

Settling down once again, Hermione closed her eyes and tried to focus on happy memories.  The taste of their first kiss so many years ago was still fresh in her mind.  She almost smiled as she remembered.

Feeling someone caress her hair softly, she opened her eyes and looked up to find Remus staring at the dingy window which was not letting in a great deal of sunshine.  It appeared that the day was brighter…the light was a paler shade of gray than the day before.

"I was thinking that I would dearly love to take you for a walk.  It looks like such a lovely day," he murmured.

"A walk along the lake at Hogwarts would be very nice.  I'd love to be able to stretch my legs," she replied quietly.

"My parents would have marveled at you, Hermione."

"You've talked about your parents before, Remus, but I still have the feeling that there is much you have left out."

There was a short silence and, for a moment, Hermione feared that she had offended him.  But, it was true.  Although he had talked about his parents in general terms, he had never really gone into their relationship after the attack.  She realized suddenly that she did not know anything about how he was treated while he was a teenager…or a student at Hogwarts.  How they might have reacted when he received his letter.

"My parents were very loving but they had great difficulty in accepting what happened to me.  My father felt guilty and became rather withdrawn.  My mother tried but I could always see fear in her eyes.  Guilt and pity as well, perhaps.  Sometimes I wonder what might have happened if my older brother had not died."

"You've never really talked about him very much." Hermione said quietly, hoping that she was not opening old wounds.  "Please tell me about him."

Remus sighed sadly.  "He died when I was very young…before I was attacked by the werewolf.  My parents adored him.  He was intelligent.  He was handsome.  He excelled in sports and almost anything he set his mind to.  He was my hero and he always made time for his annoying little brother."  A half smile appeared on Remus' face.

"He must have been wonderful," Hermione affirmed.

"He was.  In a way, I am glad that he was not around when I was attacked.  It was hard enough to face my parents after my first transformation.  They had known, of course, that it would happen but they did not tell me.  I suppose they were frightened of my reaction and, in this, I cannot blame them.  I was put into a cage…to protect them and the neighbouring houses.  I hate cages," Remus muttered emphatically as he looked around the prison with a shudder.

"They tried to protect you in the only way they could," Hermione suggested, having heard this part of the tale before.

"True.  But would they have tried so hard if my brother were alive?  I sometimes think that the only reason they did was because I was all they had left.  If my brother had not died…perhaps I would have."

"You're not suggesting…"

"I am.  It is not unheard of, Hermione.  You heard the Headmaster.  You know why there are not that many werewolves in the world despite the increasing number of bites.  Part of it is because of the new potions that prevent the lycanthropy curse from being transmitted.  The other part is that, in more rural areas, the bitten person is killed before they can hurt someone else."

Hermione got up and looked at Remus carefully.  There were unshed tears in his eyes as he looked upwards.

"I do not believe for a moment that they would have been so cruel," she stated.

Remus shook his head.  "When you embraced me so long ago… I was startled more than you could have imagined.  Do you know why?"

"No," Hermione replied, more than a little confused.

"Since the night I was bitten, I had barely been touched by anyone…not even my own mother and father.  Hesitant touches on the arm…a brush of fingers across my brow but that was all.  I was not embraced or kissed by anyone.  No one at all," he muttered bitterly.

"Remus…"

"When you touched me, I felt burned.  I felt scalded by something so inherently good and pure that my very soul screamed for release.  It frightened me to feel so much from such a small touch."

Hermione did not know what to say to that.

"And later…when Gryffindor finally won the Quidditch Cup.  I thought that I was losing my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I felt that I was falling in love with you…a dangerous thing because of both my position and the fact that you were a child… and other considerations as well."

"You know I resented the fact that you left without saying goodbye."

"I felt I had no choice.  I could not face you after what had happened.  I could have killed you.  I could have bitten any one of you.  I was so ashamed…everything that had been said about me…it was all true."

Hermione had a sudden glimmer of understanding.  "It was not true.  You did not hurt any of us.  The only reason why you are so despondent is because you are experiencing the pre-transformation effect without the Wolfsbane Potion.  How stupid and thoughtless of me to have forgotten.  Remus…I love you.  I have loved you for a very long time.  I will love you as long as there is breath in me…and afterwards as well," she reached over to him and kissed him fiercely.  He responded immediately, crushing her in an embrace that both heartened her and frightened her.

He kissed her face and neck, practically growling in his need for her.  And Hermione tried not to think about anything except sharing something precious one last time…but, as they lay together, she could not hold back the tears and, when she looked into his face afterwards, she found that neither could he…

Sometime later they were sitting quietly together, scared to let go of one another…trying to make each moment last as long as possible.  It appeared that there were no more words to say.

The creaking door jarred them from their separate thoughts and Wormtail, smiling cruelly, entered with a tray of food. 

"Good morning," the small man chortled.  "I have brought you both something to eat.  But, I am sure there will be something more to your liking tonight, eh Remus?"

Remus growled deep in his chest but refused to be baited.

"Cat got your tongue?" Wormtail laughed at his own pathetic joke. 

"Leave us alone," Hermione hissed.

"Oh I will…but I will be back to watch the entertainment, Mudblood.  I relish the thought of hearing your screams as you beg Remus not to kill you," Wormtail's eyes had a glazed, fanatical look to them.

Hermione felt Remus' muscles tense but, still, he did not move.

"And then, I will stay so that when you change back to your human form, I can listen to your cries and moans when you realize what you did.  And what you enjoyed doing.  You see, Remus?  We are not that different after all, are we?"

"You maggot-ridden piece of flesh," Remus said, standing up.  "You and I are nothing alike.  I have never had a choice in being what I am.  It is the curse that I have borne for more years than I care to admit.  When I transform, I lose myself.  I am hidden away in the only bit of soul that has been left to me.  The wolf takes over and has free rein to do what he likes.  It is not me.  It never was me.  When the transformation is done, I have no residual desire to kill or maim or hurt.  The wolf is banished for another cycle.  I am myself again…responsible for my actions.  What is your excuse, Wormtail?  It would appear that you, unlike myself, had the choice."

"And you chose incorrectly," Hermione added, staying seated.

Wormtail took a step backwards at the accusation but then laughed nervously.  "It hardly matters, does it, Remus?  You will transform and you will kill.  You will take a human life…something you swore you would never do.  It does not matter about choices…sooner or later, all creatures of darkness like yourself, are drawn into the Dark Lord's circle.  And once you are there…you never come out again.  So, you had best get accustomed to your surroundings, Remus.  You will be residing here for a long time to come."

Remus gripped the bars of the prison so tightly that his knuckles turned white.  Wormtail laughed.

"It's almost noon.  That's the beauty of the shortening days at this time of year…you won't have to wait quite as long to transform," he cackled as he left the prison.

"How many hours do you think we have left?" Hermione asked quietly.

"The sun will probably set in five hours or so," Remus replied in a grim tone.

"Remus, you have to promise me something," Hermione stood up and softly put her hand on his arm.

"I could never refuse you anything, Hermione.  Especially not now," Remus placed his hand over hers.

"Promise me that you will avenge what you will be forced to do."  Hermione's voice sounded strained.

Remus looked at her curiously.

"No, I don't mean that.  I want justice.  True justice.  The kind that is served at Azkaban.  The kind that leaves a person without a soul…without a life…without anything."

Remus nodded.  "The Dementor's Kiss."

"I don't care how you do it…but promise me that you will see it done.  It is all that is left to me now.  Promise me," Hermione urged.

Remus looked at her.  She was trying to hold back her tears.  Trying to appear strong.  Trying not to show how truly frightened she was.

"I promise, Hermione."

And her smile, although small and tremulous, did not falter as she gazed at Remus.

_***********Close by***********_

"It would appear that even a Malfoy can have his uses, eh Snape?" Sirius asked gruffly as Severus sat down after a long round of questioning the veritable leader of the Death Eaters.

Margot brought over a glass of water to the Potions Master and he drank it down gratefully.

"Do you think we know all that we need?" She asked nervously, glancing over at the silver-haired man who stared at the wall blankly.

"I believe so," Severus sighed, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief procured from one of the many pockets in his robes.

"It's a bit odd to have him here so docile and quiet…there…there isn't any way for him to break away from the Imperius Curse, is there?" Sirius asked, noting Margot's nervousness.

"Margot and I were Death Eaters, as you are well aware, Black.  Not something either of us is particularly proud of but one thing we did learn is how to cast an Imperius Curse that, without an extremely strong will, would be impossible to break," Severus rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"And Lucius has no will except for that of his fiendish master," Margot snapped harshly, a flash of hatred appearing in her eyes momentarily.

"Has the Veritaserum worn off?" Sirius asked, looking out the broken window of the room they were in and staring at the manor, which was their destination.

"Yes…it was carefully brewed to give an exact number of hours.  But, I did test him to be sure and he still thinks you are something akin to the scum that floats on the top of a rancid pond," Severus smirked without humour.

"The feeling is completely mutual…although I would like to think that I am a little more highly evolved than this windbag," Sirius muttered.

Severus stood up and went to where Sirius was looking.  "You are, Black.  Although I will never admit to it publicly."

Sirius turned to Severus and grinned, shaking his head slightly.

"We must hurry…it is already early afternoon.  The sun will set sooner at this time of year," Margot whispered.

"I know," Severus sighed heavily.  This was going to be dangerous and he would have felt better if he were on his own.  Risking his own life was something he was well accustomed to.  Risking those of people he considered to be friends…was another matter entirely.  But, sacrifices had to be made in order to save Remus and Hermione…and Severus could only hope that the sacrifices would not be more than he could bear.

Straightening his posture, Severus turned to Margot with a determined glint in his eye.  "Give Lucius the false wands and hide your own in your sleeve.  Black…you may look after the bindings.  Go for a bit of realism.  The Dark Lord is not an imbecile."

Sirius grunted as he conjured some ponderous ropes and charmed them so that they would crackle with magical energy, giving them the impression that they were spellproof.  Severus tested them and nodded in approval.  

Margot gave the false wands to Lucius and murmured her commands to the docile man, commanding him to be his normal, arrogant, brutish self.  Sirius then created similar bonds for himself and Margot and they both managed to hide their wands in their sleeves.

"Margot, you are certain that our real wands will be quiet?" Severus asked as they walked out into the open.

Margot nodded grimly, keeping her mind focused on Lucius, who was leading them onwards to the manor.

"Amazing," Sirius whispered.  "He looks like there is nothing wrong with him."

"Quiet," Severus admonished.  

They reached the door and Lucius, whispering the correct series of password charms, was granted immediate access.  They entered en masse into the gloom within.

Lucius had been instructed to bring them to where the Dark Lord would be waiting but, when they reached the main parlour of the manor, they did not find him there.

"Lucius…how nice of you.  You brought presents for Wormtail," Wormtail jumped up from an ottoman upon which he had been sitting, eating a cold chicken leg.  He threw the bone on the floor, wiped his hands on his robes and approached the group of prisoners.

"Well, this is quite the little gathering.  First, we capture the Werewolf and the Mudblood and now we also manage to ensnare the two Traitors and the person who killed me," Wormtail laughed so hard, he nearly choked.

"They are not for you, Wormtail.  They are for the Dark Lord.  I found them lurking about outside and managed to capture them.  Years of mingling with Mudbloods has dulled their reflexes…made them easy fodder for a Death Eater of my rank," Lucius said impressively.

Wormtail backed away slightly but then eyed Margot.  "I am especially glad that you are here, Margot.  Wormtail always thought you were pretty.  Mudblood will be going away shortly but there is no need for you to share her fate.  The Dark Lord will hurt you and, perhaps, Wormtail might be able to protect you."

"Filth," Margot hissed.  "You know what you did to my family."

Wormtail came closer to her and smiled.  "Ah yes, I remember.  Your mother and your sister, wasn't it?  Yes, I lured your father out on the pretext of Ministry business.  They were very pretty…just like you.   Your sister's hair was very soft.  I wonder if your screams would sound the same as theirs."

A vein was throbbing in Margot's forehead and her hands twitched convulsively as if she wished they were around the smaller man's neck.

"Your father did not live long after my little visit.  I had nothing to do with that, you know.  Who knew he had such a weak constitution?" Wormtail giggled.

"If I ever have the opportunity…I will be certain to geld you myself," Margot whispered hatefully.

"Ah, but you won't…not now and not ever," Wormtail clapped his hands in utter contentment.

"Wormtail…you are truly pathetic.  Where can I put this rabble?  I need to return home to Malfoy Manor.  There will be others waiting for me," Lucius drawled impatiently.

Well, Lucius, I don't know when our Master will return but you may bring them to the dungeons and…be sure to place them in the cell next to the Mudblood whore and her Werewolf lover.  Yes, that would be perfect.  I am certain they will enjoy the entertainment that the moonrise will bring," Wormtail opened the door that led to a flight of stairs.

"Here are their wands.  Keep them.  I don't want to take any chances," Lucius handed the three false wands to Wormtail who looked at them for a moment and then snapped them, one by one.  The three prisoners tried to look as shocked as they could.  They had not been expecting that.

"No, Lucius," Wormtail turned his evil face to the prisoners and gloated in their misery.  "You are quite correct.  We would not want to take any chances."

And the group went through the door and down the stairs to where the dungeons lay.


	16. Wormwood and Asphodel

**_Disclaimer_****_:  _**_Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR.  ****_

**Chapter 15****:  Wormwood and Asphodel**

He smelled them before they entered the room.  The acuity of his senses was bringing on a headache so that, for a moment or two, he wondered if it was simply his mind playing tricks on him…feeding him with the false hope of a rescue that would never come.  But, the scent of Severus Snape was not one that could be easily reproduced…even by his imagination.

"Remus?" Hermione asked, having sensed his sudden motion.  "What is it?  What's wrong?"

The hurried glance to the window pained Remus, even though she tried to conceal it.

"Severus is here…and he is not alone," Remus whispered.  

Hermione seemed stunned.  "Do you think they were captured?"

Remus heard the quiet footsteps coming down the stairs and caught the scent of Wormtail and Lucius as well as Sirius and Margot.  "I don't know, Hermione.  Let us see what happens.  There is something strange about all this.  Something wrong with the scents."  Remus sighed heavily, standing up.  "I just don't know, Hermione."

Hermione stood up as well, linking her arm through his.  "That makes two of us."

The door opened and Remus and Hermione tried not to show their dismay as they watched their friends being brought in as prisoners.  They looked tired and upset…looks of defeat.

"I've brought you guests, Remus," Wormtail danced in glee, rushing over to unlock the cell beside the one in which Hermione and Remus were being held prisoner.

"Get in…all of you," Lucius ordered sharply.  Margot glared at him in defiance and Lucius made to strike her.  Severus placed himself in front of her.

"Really, Lucius…for all your highborn manners, you really are a beast at heart, aren't you?" The Potions Master challenged.

"Severus…my only hope for you is that you suffer for a long time before the Dark Lord sends your soul to the darkest nether-regions of hell," Lucius sneered.

Sirius, Severus and Margot found themselves marshaled into the small cell and Wormtail locked the door on them, cackling all the time.

"The Dark Lord will be so pleased!  The only thing missing is the Potter boy himself.  But he will come…I am sure of it.  Then we can dispatch with the lot of them together.  What fun!!!" The smaller man capered around the room madly.

Lucius looked at him with disgust.  "Stop with your incessant drivel, Wormtail.  Leave the prisoners alone and let them share in the misery of these last few hours together.  The evening's entertainment will be only the beginning of the fun, as you so succinctly put it, we will have with them."

Wormtail rubbed his hands together, glancing fearfully at Lucius who seemed to be pondering something.

"Are you quite well, Lucius?  You seem pale," Wormtail ventured timidly.

"I am perfectly well.  Now, I must away…the others will be waiting for me at Malfoy Manor.  Leave the prisoners to their own devices until the moonrise…I will try to join you then," Lucius pulled out his wand and changed into his Death Eater robes.

Hermione could not stifle a gasp of horror upon seeing the steely mask which had been the cause of many nightmares.  Remus held her hand in an attempt at comfort.

"Yes, Remus," Wormtail had noticed Hermione's outburst.  "Comfort her while you can…it won't be much longer now before she is cringing from you in fear and disgust."

Lucius Malfoy shook his head in disdain and then disapparated with a soft popping noise.

"I will leave you to say your goodbyes but I will be back to watch the fun.  And it will be so much fun," Wormtail practically pirouetted for joy and left the room in high spirits.

There was silence for several moments.

"Are you sure it worked?" Severus asked Margot as she suddenly sighed with relief and visibly relaxed.

"Yes," she replied with a sigh of relief.  "He has taken the potion and is now unconscious on his bed.  He will not wake up for several days."

"Well, that is one problem out of the way," Sirius grunted, walking quickly to the wall of the cell that divided their group from Remus and Hermione.

"Are you all right?" He asked with concern, reaching a hand through the bars to touch Remus' shoulder.

"We're fine.  Well, not exactly.  Our wands are not functional.  Hermione cannot assume her animagus form.  I have missed two doses of Wolfsbane Potion and have yet to devise a way to get Hermione out of here…but what was that all about with Lucius?" Remus asked, not letting go of Hermione's hand.

"I had placed an Imperius Curse on Lucius and sent him on his way home.  My last command was to take a rather large dose of the Sonniferum potion I had conveniently placed in his pocket.  He will be dreaming for quite some time…and there is no antidote," Margot smiled at Hermione.

"I don't understand.  You sound as if you are here to rescue us but I don't see your wands and you are being held prisoner just as we are.  Was this all part of your plan or am I missing something important?" Remus asked, confusion etched on his tired face.

"They took our wands…or what they assumed were our wands," Severus said, with a smirk, as he pulled his out of his sleeve.

"Snape transfigured three branches to look like our wands.  Wormtail snapped them, the slimy git," Sirius muttered under his breath.

Remus turned to Severus with a small smile.  "So, you were not completely hopeless at Transfiguration after all.  Minerva will be impressed."

Hermione giggled nervously.  The entire situation seemed so surreal and she was too worn out to feel fear just yet.

"Let's get out of here," Margot whispered as she pointed her wand at the lock and muttered an opening charm.

Nothing happened.

Severus tried another opening charm with similar results.

"Damn!" The Potions Master explained, kicking a small rock in exasperation.  "The wards are even stronger than we had anticipated."

"Let me try something," Sirius picked up the small rock that had been booted so mercilessly by Severus and transfigured it into a key.  He slipped it into the lock and turned.  It opened immediately.

"I would never have thought of that," Margot commented, hurrying out of the cell and rushing over to the door of the cell that housed Remus and Hermione.

"I think that was the general idea, cara.  Such a simple idea and yet most wizards would never think of it.  Just point your wand and mutter a spell.  Don't think for a moment that it could be something as simple as a key," Severus said in a self-accusing tone.  "That was well done, Black.  Good to see that we didn't just bring you along for the entertainment value alone."

Sirius smirked as he tried the key in the second lock.  

It didn't budge.

Margot tried her opening spell with similar results.

Sirius suddenly transformed into his animagus form and threw himself against the lock with his bared teeth.  Hermione jumped in surprise as she watched the huge dog snarling and growling in a desperate attempt to open the lock.  She began to tremble as she looked up to the window and saw that the sky was beginning to darken.

Severus noticed Hermione's increasing agitation, as did Remus, who put his arm around her shoulder and said nothing.

"Please, Severus.  For her sake…please think of something," Remus implored, desperation ringing in his voice.

Severus pointed his wand at Hermione and tried to transfigure her into something that would not attract a werewolf's attention.  A book.  A goblet.  A quill.

It didn't work either.  Hermione remained Hermione.

"Blast!" Severus was quickly losing patience. "For some reason, your cell is designed to dissipate all the magical energy from a wand.  It is almost as if the bars of the cell are conduits for the magic, allowing it be drawn up and dispersed into the ceiling or the ground."

"There has to be a way!" Remus shouted.  Hermione did not say anything but her face was beginning to turn very pale.

"Give me your wand," Margot said to Hermione.  Hermione pulled it out and handed it to the older woman.  Margot began muttering spells in an effort to remove the blocking charm that had been placed on it.  Beads of sweat appeared on Margot's brow as she tried spell after spell with little success.

"This is ridiculous," Sirius muttered as he resumed his human form and massaged his jaw gingerly.  There were cuts and bruises along his mouth and it looked as if a tooth was broken.  "We didn't come all this way for nothing.  There has to be a way.  There just has to be."

Remus closed his eyes in despair and sank to the ground.  Hermione clung to the bars, silently pleading with her friends not to give up.  She could see that the light from the window was becoming dimmer as time went on…and there wasn't much time left.

"Voldemort said that most spells wouldn't work," Hermione muttered hoarsely…she was dangerously close to crying again.

Margot looked up at her in sympathy and then returned to her task…working tirelessly but without success.  The only sounds she made were various Italian and Hungarian curses…and they were directed at the Dark Lord himself.

Sirius sat with his head in his hands as he wracked his brains for a solution that was so far eluding them.

Severus walked up to Hermione and brought his face very close to hers.

"Hermione…there is only one thing I can do for you.  I was hoping it would not be necessary because it is dangerous but I have no choice.  I must try," he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" She asked quietly.

Severus discreetly pulled a small vial out of his sleeve pocket and placed it in Hermione's hand.  It felt icy cold to the touch and Hermione could not help shivering.

"What is this?"

"It is a derivative of the Draught of the Sleeping Death.  Very powerful.  Very dangerous."

"But," she glanced at Remus who appeared to be absorbed in his own misery and was not paying any attention to the two of them.  "This will not have any effect on Remus.  Werewolves are well known to be impervious to potions of this sort."

Severus nodded.  "It pleases me that you were paying attention in Potions class.  Yes, what you said is very much true.  However, the potion is not for Remus."

"It isn't?  I don't understand."

"The potion is for you.  Take one mouthful and only one mouthful the moment he transforms.  You will fall to the ground as if you are dead.  It is not commonly known that werewolves will not touch a corpse…it is a veritable anathema to them.  If the beast thinks you are dead, it will not touch you and you will be safe."

Hermione felt the vial in her hand…it was still cold.

"You said it was dangerous."

Severus nodded again.  "More than one mouthful could kill you or send you into a sleep so deep it will be impossible to wake you."

"How long will the effects of the potion last?"  Hermione shuddered slightly.

"Until at least tomorrow afternoon…it is difficult to calibrate the strength of a potion such as this…I did not have a great deal of time to experiment with various concentrations."

Hermione's eyes trembled with unshed tears.  Awkwardly, Severus brushed away the one that dared spill onto her cheek.

"It will be all right, Hermione.  I promised to protect you…and I have yet to break a promise," he whispered, moving away from her to rejoin Margot but not before he whispered something to Sirius.

Hermione held the vial tightly in her hand and walked over to where Remus was still sitting.  She looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting darker.  She sat down next to Remus and tried to calm herself somewhat.  His arms came around her but she still felt cold.

All they could do was wait.

She probably dozed for a moment or two.  Hermione was never quite sure.  She only remembered suddenly realizing that Remus was on the other side of the cell…trying to get as far away from her as possible.

"Remus?" She stood up but did not move towards him.  Glancing up at the sky, she realized that it was night and that the moon would rise in only moments.

Remus looked at her and it pained Hermione to see the guilt, despair and utter grief that blazed in his eyes.

"I am so sorry…for everything," he said in a rough voice.

"Don't be sorry for loving me, Remus.  I am not sorry for loving you," tears were coursing down Hermione's cheeks.

"I love you…I always will," he said…his voice becoming somewhat guttural and thick.

"I love you, Remus.  Remember what you promised me," Hermione urged, fear now chilling her voice.

"I will remember…and I promise.  I…promise…I…" Remus seemed to be struggling with his words and his hands went to his hair and began tearing at it.

"Hermione!" He screamed in agony as the room suddenly became illuminated with the silvery glow of moonlight.

Severus, Sirius and Margot rushed to the cell as Hermione backed towards them.  Panic was in her heart and all thought was lost as she watched the transformation from man to werewolf once again.

Remus was in great pain…it felt as if his skin were splitting into a million pieces…jolts of lightning coursing through his veins.  After so many years of dulling the effect with the Wolfsbane Potion, the transformation had a similar effect as the Cruciatus Curse.  The claws that shot out through the skin of his fingers…the terrible teeth that gored their way through his mouth.  The coarse hair that felt as if it were being pulled out from the very roots.  It was torture…sheer torture.  His screams echoed off the walls of the dungeon.

In his last moments as a thinking man, Remus happened to glance at Hermione.  The expression of sheer terror in her eyes hurt him far worse than the physical pain he was experiencing.  He had probably lost her love forever.  He had probably lost her forever.  But he had a promise to keep and, as his thinking self was brutally shoved into the darkness of unconsciousness, he knew that his promise was all he had left.

And he vowed he would not break it.

Hermione watched the werewolf collapse to the ground, writhing in agony.  For a moment, it had appeared that it had wanted to say something but could not.  She could not think.  She could not move.  She was doomed.

She did not realize that the room had become deadly silent and she watched with dread as the werewolf slowly stood up.  It turned to look at her and growled softly…whiskers twitching in anticipation.

"Hermione," came Severus' frantic whisper through the tangled web of panic.  "Take the potion!"

But she could not move.  She could only watch as the werewolf took a step towards her…tail swishing ominously…ready to attack.

"Hermione…take the potion.  Hurry!" Severus was screaming at her.

Slowly…as if she were somehow not in control of her own body, Hermione managed to take the stopper out of the vial and held it in front of her.

"Drink it…Hermione, for the love of Merlin…he will kill you," Sirius begged, resuming his animagus form in an attempt to distract the werewolf.  It didn't work.  Apparently it preferred human female prey that was readily available to canine male prey that was out of its reach.

Hermione heard a crashing noise and felt the crackle of a Dark Curse.  Margot fell to the ground and Wormtail stepped into the room, looking murderous.

"You cannot save her and now you will all die!" He screamed as he launched another Dark Curse at Sirius, who quickly bounded out of its way.  A battle raged outside her cell and, for a moment, the werewolf watched the proceedings as Severus and Sirius overturned a heavy oak table and fought back at Wormtail who was frantically launching curse after curse.

Hermione managed to glance at Margot's inert body.  Blood was oozing from the older woman's mouth.

"Hermione!" Severus yelled as he launched a disfigurement hex at Wormtail.  "Take the potion.  It's your only chance."

Hermione quickly turned back to the werewolf who was now eyeing her as a singularly delicious morsel to devour. It licked its chops in anticipation and silvery strands of saliva hung from its massive jaw.  She looked into the creature's eyes and realized that Remus was not there.  Remus was gone and, in its place, was a monster whose only purpose was to destroy her.  The eyes were the windows of the soul and she understood that, unlike the man she loved, this creature had no soul.

"Hermione!" Severus screamed as he pushed Sirius out of the way of a strangulation curse.  

Wormtail, suddenly seeing the vial in Hermione's hand, shouted in anger.  "She will die…she will die by my hand! Avada Kedavra!"

The acid green light began to emanate from his wand and streaked towards Hermione.  Severus leaped out from behind the table and tackled Wormtail to the ground.  Sirius changed back into his human form and aimed a deflecting curse at the spell.

Hermione saw the werewolf's leg muscles tense and knew it was preparing to pounce on her.  She quickly brought the vial to her mouth and swallowed convulsively.  The potion took effect immediately.  As she fell, she saw the green light coming towards her and the werewolf's sharp teeth approaching in a jumbled maze of blurry images.  She heard the frantic screams of her friends and the hoarse curses of her enemy.  She felt herself hitting the floor, somehow knew that she should be feeling pain and smelled the werewolf's carnal breath.

Then she knew no more and lay there…still and lifeless, the empty vial dropping out of nerveless hands.

The dungeons echoed with the sound of a bloodcurdling howl.


	17. To Save a Werewolf

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. This is the penultimate chapter.

****

Chapter 17: To Save A Werewolf

Sirius had forgotten what it had been like all those years ago. Forgotten what Remus had been like in the time before their group of Marauders had acquired the ability to change their forms.

Forgotten how terrifying a creature a werewolf truly was.

Severus and Sirius were frozen in their place, appalled at what was transpiring in front of them. They could not be certain if Hermione was alive or dead. They only knew that the magical cell had repelled the Killing Curse, as it had repelled all the others, and had killed Wormtail instantly.

It was, as the expression went, good riddance to bad rubbish.

Margot was moaning and Severus went over to her to help her up. Sirius could not look away from his friend…this werewolf that was throwing itself at the bars of the cell, injuring itself repeatedly in its frenetic efforts to get to them now that Hermione…

__

"Merlin help us…I hope she is all right," Sirius thought in anguish. She did not appear to be breathing…and the vial seemed to be empty. Had there been more than one mouthful in there? Was she lost to them?

"Sirius…we cannot do anything until the moon sets," Severus said quietly, an arm around Margot's waist to steady her.

And then a light went off in Sirius' mind.

"There is something I can do," he said before resuming his animagus form. Walking slowly and cautiously…he approached the cell, which housed the screaming animal. He barked softly, drawing attention to himself. The werewolf stared at him, baring his teeth at the unwelcome visitor. But, as he was not human, Sirius was not in any danger. He simply tried to be as non-threatening as possible and barked once again, lying down on the floor.

The werewolf stopped slashing at its own chest to look at the huge dog, lying in such a docile manner on the floor. Snarling quietly, it came closer and let out a short howl of annoyance. Sirius looked at the werewolf and tried to keep its gaze.

__

"Don't you remember me?" he seemed to say. _"We used to have such fun together in the Forbidden Forest."_

The werewolf cocked his head to one side in a questioning manner.

Sirius barked softly once again. _"Come on, Remus. It hasn't been that long. We used to go chasing after one another when we were students at Hogwarts. Do you remember me, Moony? Do you remember your friend, Padfoot? Have you forgotten Prongs?"_

And, just when Sirius was thinking that this was doomed to failure, a light of recognition flashed through the werewolf's eyes. Cautiously, still fearful of a trap, it approached the dog…sniffing the air carefully. It reached the bars of the cell and sat down next to Sirius. It howled once again…something soft and somehow not evil. It remembered.

Sirius barked and made some strange canine noises as if it were trying to say something to the werewolf. Whatever it was, it worked and the beast visibly relaxed.

"Incredible," Severus breathed quietly, afraid to startle the creature. "I have completely underestimated you, Black."

"We are still in the same predicament, Severus," Margot whispered, her face no longer pale. "We must still wait until the setting of the moon before we can let Remus out. It would not be safe for him as he could escape easily and hurt someone outside…wizard or muggle."

"Are you sorry about Wormtail, cara? I know you would have preferred a different fate for him."

Margot looked at the corpse of the smaller man with revulsion. "It is true that I would have preferred to witness his soul being devoured by a Dementor but dead is dead and it is only appropriate that his own curse felled him. His blood is not on our hands."

"That is true, cara. And so we wait. Although we are not in any danger and he appears to be much calmer now, we cannot risk letting Remus out. I only wish there were a way to ascertain Hermione's condition. We can't go in there and we cannot use any magical means to check on her. She looks so still and quiet…I can't tell if she is even breathing," Severus shuddered at the possibility that, despite all their efforts, his friend would be lost to him.

"There is nothing we can do at the present," Margot leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly. "We can only wait. Besides, I am confident that the potion worked. She is safe and will not wake up until well after the danger has passed."

Suddenly Sirius jumped up and began to growl loudly at something behind them. The werewolf, startled, jumped up as well.

"On that point, my dear Margot, I would beg to differ," a cold serpentine voice emanated from a green cloud of smoke and the evil form of Voldemort immediately appeared. He held his wand out in a negligent fashion but the others knew to keep on their guard. The Dark Lord was a formidable opponent and they were on his territory.

Standing up, Severus stood in front of Margot protectively.

"How very chivalrous of you, Severus. The Mudbloods have taught you well. It is most unfortunate that you were not more amenable to my teachings. Listening to that fool of a Headmaster has clearly addled your once-sharp brains. I will have to remedy that."

"There is nothing wrong with my brain, Voldemort," Severus hissed, bracing himself. "I assure you that my reflexes are as they once were."

Sirius began to growl louder…baring his teeth at the Dark Lord.

"How nice to see you, Black," Voldemort laughed…the sound of it like cracking ice, chilling all of them to the bone. "Yes, that form suits you much better."

The werewolf got up and began rattling the bars of his cell in earnest, howling madly and snarling at the Dark Lord in a murderous rage.

"Remus…you are even more powerful than I imagined. Look at you…my fighting assassin…much more deadly and fearsome than any of the others I had acquired. You are truly a magnificent specimen," the Dark Lord's eyes gloated in his moment of triumph.

"While I would dearly love to let my newest pet have a taste for traitors' blood, I still have some unfinished business with the Mudblood," Voldemort walked closer to the cell. The werewolf was reaching for him frantically through the bars, howling and growling in fury.

Turning around to face the small group, he suddenly smiled a very cruel smile. "Oh yes, you did very well, but you didn't think the Dark Lord would be watching your every move, did you? I saw what you did to Lucius. Very clever…yes, a brilliant plan if I do say so myself. I saw how you manipulated poor Wormtail. And I ought to thank you for saving me the trouble of killing him myself. But the pièce de résistance was the Draught of the Sleeping Death…masterful concoction on your part, Severus. You haven't lost your touch. It's a pity that it will be your last work."

Severus did not reply.

"You had so much promise, Severus. Really, among all my flock, I thought you would be the one to lead them into the New World. Lucius had too much arrogance…too much pride in himself. He would have eventually become a problem for me to deal with. You, on the other hand…you had a true gift and you used your gift for me willingly and often."

"That was before I discovered what you really were," Severus whispered hatefully.

"How many wizards and witches did I kill with the poisons you so eagerly provided to me?"

The sound of grinding teeth could be heard.

"How many witches were…taken advantage of because they had been administered a substance which took away their will and allowed them to be used…and abused…repeatedly?" The Dark Lord gloated over this public humiliation.

"I. Was. Blind." Severus gritted out.

"Just as you are blind now, Severus. You think that you earn your so-called redemption by helping your little friends. By devoting yourself to your little whore of a mistress. You have not changed, Severus. You are still damned. You are still mine," Voldemort's eyes gleamed with malice.

"That is not true," Severus replied, taking out his wand and pointing it at his former master. 

Voldemort laughed again. "You amuse me, Severus, and there is precious little in this pathetic world that amuses me. But, what will amuse me even more is the expression on your face when I awaken your precious Mudblood and allow the werewolf to do what is in its nature to do."

Severus' face paled in horror. "You cannot…the potion…"

"Is still only a potion and the cell has been charged to allow my magic to flow through. And, once the Mudblood is dead, I will allow Remus to have at you all and that way I will be rid of all of you. So, you see, my dear Severus? I get to win after all. And you get to die," Voldemort's laughter rang off the walls of the dungeons, causing the werewolf to howl loudly.

Voldemort raised his wand. Sirius jumped up and ran at the Dark Lord who, with a flick of his wrist, sent the huge dog sprawling into the wall, dazed and bloodied. Voldemort turned his attention again to the small figure slumped on the floor in the cell, intent on awakening her.

Severus and Margot looked at one another and nodded. Their bodies shimmered for just a moment before coalescing into two distinctly different shapes.

A jaguar leaped onto the Dark Lord, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground. An ocelot pounced and slashed at the evil wizard's face with its sharp claws, drawing blood. Growling ferally, the jaguar snapped at the hand that held the wand, causing the thin piece of wood to drop. Immediately, the ocelot picked it up in its claws and dashed over to the wounded dog, pushing at it in an attempt to get him to stand up. 

"It's…it's not possible," Voldemort screamed as the jaguar held him down, snarling. The werewolf was beside itself in blind fury and threw itself at the bars of its cell again and again, howling in agony, blood streaming down its face and arms and chest.

Voldemort drew out a silver dagger. The werewolf immediately took notice and took a step backwards. The jaguar lunged at the Dark Lord's wrist. The arc of the blade flashed in the fading moonlight and drops of blood spattered everywhere.

The ocelot and the dog growled in anguish and made to spring on the Dark Lord when a blinding silver light obliterated all vision. There was a terrible scream, a cry of pain and then…utter silence.

The silver light faded and, when the ocelot and the dog looked up, they could see three newcomers. They returned to their human forms instantly and ran over to them, Sirius held up slightly by a painful wound to his leg.

"Headmaster!" Margot cried out, embracing the older man.

"There, there, my dear Professor DeKasaroff. You did not think I would abandon you all, did you?"

Sirius turned to the other two. "About bloody time you got here," he smiled.

Harry and Ron both grinned.

"Severus?" Margot had gone over to the jaguar that was lying still on the ground next to the unconscious Voldemort. She ran a hand along his fur and, when she pulled away, found that it was covered in blood. "Oh, Severus. No." She held the animal close and began crying brokenly.

"Margot," Dumbledore approached the stricken animal quietly. "Let me see."

She reluctantly moved away and watched anxiously as Dumbledore lay it down carefully on the floor and moved his wand over it. 

"Will he be all right?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Snape…you can't go and die on me yet," Sirius muttered gruffly.

Suddenly, the animal coughed and resumed the form of Severus Snape.

"No, Black," Severus said weakly. "I don't plan to." He began to cough again. The wounds, while deep and bleeding, were not serious.

Leaving Severus to Margot's care, Dumbledore, along with the others, walked over to the cell where the werewolf was cringing in the corner. It was clearly terrified.

"Is Hermione all right?" Ron asked worriedly, glancing at his friend in apprehension.

"She has taken a dose of a powerful derivative of the Draught of Sleeping Death. It was the only way to protect her from the werewolf…he would never touch a corpse," Severus explained, wincing in pain as he walked towards them. 

"How are we going to get her out of there?" Harry wondered, looking around the cell in question. "We have to be careful with Remus…he is still dangerous."

Dumbledore turned to the werewolf and whispered a quiet spell. A pale pink light shot out from his wand and encircled the terrified beast. For a moment, he stood there, engulfed in a soft pink haze. And then, he fell down…asleep.

"That was bloody brilliant," Ron enthused. "I didn't think anything like that would work on a werewolf."

"It is not generally known that there is no creature alive that is immune to the Morpheus spell," Dumbledore said quietly. "I did not wish him to harm himself more than he already has. Now, let us see to Hermione."

They walked over to where she lay, quiet and still.

"She…looks…I can't even tell if she's…breathing," Harry looked at his best friend's pale face with concern.

"How…how do we wake her up?" Sirius asked.

"We can't," Dumbledore said, moving a lock of hair away from her face. "She is alive and unhurt but she must find her own way back to us,"

"You don't think…" Severus looked apprehensive as he joined the group and watched Harry pick her up. 

"I do not believe so, Severus," the Headmaster smiled. "I believe she will be fine."

"What about Voldemort?" Sirius asked in a venomous voice.

"He will be brought to Azkaban. The Ministry of Magic will be delighted and I am sure you will all receive an Order of Merlin – First Class," the older wizard replied in a calm voice.

"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed. "I don't care about that. I just want to know that Hermione and Remus are all right."

"Thank you for your concern," Severus smirked sarcastically, grimacing at the pain from his damaged body. Margot looked at him in concern.

"How typically Snape," Harry laughed. "I'm glad to see you're all right. We wouldn't want the next batch of first years to have it too easy at Hogwarts now, would we?"

"How typically Potter," Severus quipped. "It is common knowledge that I am a fair, equitable and respected professor."

Ron was suddenly overcome by a coughing fit that sounded rather suspicious.

"Who also happens to have kept a secret from all of us," Sirius drawled. "Not good at transfiguration, eh? I didn't know you were an unregistered animagus."

"No one did," replied Margot, tearing at the hem of her robe to make a tourniquet for a badly bleeding wound on Severus left arm. "We thought it might be best to keep it a secret. I'm sorry, Headmaster…we hope you are not disappointed with us."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Absolutely not, my dear. Although I am certain that Harry and Ron would have lost many Galleons if they had made a wager on Severus' animagus form."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "I would have bet he'd turn out to be a snake."

"Or a raven," Harry offered, shifting Hermione slightly in his arms.

"Or a black cat," Sirius grinned.

And Severus did something he had never done before in his entire life.

He stuck his tongue out at them.

And everyone laughed…because it was finally over.

"Now, now…there is business to attend to," Dumbledore interrupted, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "Harry, bring Hermione directly to the Hogwarts infirmary. Yours is the fastest broom and she requires Poppy's expert care. Ron, levitate Wormtail's body and bring it to the morgue at the Ministry of Magic. Notify your father that Wormtail is dead and that he is required at Azkaban for the arraignment of Voldemort. Sirius, you will bring Remus to the Hogwarts infirmary. He will not wake up until the morning so he may stay there for Poppy to watch over. When he transforms back, she will dress his wounds and wait for him to regain consciousness. I will accompany the Dark Lord to Azkaban and turn him over to the proper authorities. Margot…his wand, if you will."

Margot walked over and picked up the seemingly innocent wand lying on the ground. She held it between her thumb and forefinger as if to have as little contact as possible with it. Dumbledore took the wand and looked at it for several moments.

"Harry…I believe that it is for you to do what you know you must," the older man held out the wand to Harry who put Hermione down for a moment on the newly upright table in order to take it.

"I hope the Dementor chokes on his rotten soul for what he did to my family. Let Azkaban house his remains," Harry said grimly before snapping the wand in two. A rush of wind suddenly whipped through the room and broke the small window near the ceiling…rushing out with a mournful sigh. It left everyone inside rather shaken. 

"Come on Harry. Hermione needs to get back to Hogwarts," Ron urged his friend. Harry nodded and, with a quick spell, burned the two pieces of the wand that, so many years earlier, had marked Harry for unsought greatness.

Picking up Hermione once again, Harry turned to Dumbledore and smiled. "I guess I can just play Quidditch for a while, can't I?"

"Yes, dear boy, you certainly may," the older wizard smiled.

"And Potter?" Severus called authoritatively. Harry turned around with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Yes?"

"Do try to win us the World Cup…it's been such a long time since England has had anything to cheer about," the Potions Master smiled.

Harry's eyes widened in shock and he turned to Ron in amused surprise.

"Absolutely," Harry grinned before following Ron up the stairs and out of the accursed manor, the corpse of Wormtail floating after them.

Sirius walked over to the sleeping werewolf and levitated him carefully, not wanting to reopen any wounds that had begun to heal. His heart sank as he watched the continued dripping of blood and he hurried out of the room to get him to the capable hands of Madam Pomfrey as quickly as possible.

"Margot, you will accompany Severus to the infirmary. Despite his vigorous protestations to the contrary, he requires some medical attention as well," Dumbledore smiled as Severus sulked.

Margot laughed. "I plan on not letting him out of my sight ever again, dear Headmaster." She linked her arm through Severus' and held him tightly.

"What about Lucius?" Severus asked. "He is unconscious at Malfoy Manor, under the influence of a Sonniferum potion…dressed in full Death Eater regalia."

"How convenient," Dumbledore chuckled. "Really, you thought of everything. I will ensure that Arthur is the one to pick him up…he has been itching to bring Lucius in for many years. Now, I must be off…I have a prisoner to escort." Dumbledore waved his wand and a sparkling violet mist wrapped itself around the still form of the Dark Lord, entombing him. The older wizard walked through the door with his unconscious captive and up the stairs, leaving Severus and Margot alone.

"You frightened me, Severus," Margot whispered, a suspicious sparkle in her eyes. "I thought, for a moment…"

But she found herself unable to continue as Severus suddenly pressed his lips against hers.


	18. Through the Darkness and Towards Tomorro...

**__**

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR. It took almost a year but it is finally complete. My thank you section follows this last chapter.

****

Chapter 18: Through the Darkness and Towards Tomorrow

Pain.

It was the first thing that Remus was aware of as he made his way slowly towards consciousness.

So much pain.

He couldn't remember a time when he felt as if he was on fire…where there was not one spot on his body which did not scream out in agony. Every movement…every breath…brought him new suffering.

But it was nothing compared to the pain that was deep within his heart…the pain that nothing would ever take away.

The pain of loss. The loss of the only love he had ever known.

Remus shifted slightly, grimacing at the jolt of white-hot pain the mere movement of skin against soft cotton sheets caused. He knew he was in the Hogwarts infirmary…recognized the healing touch of Poppy immediately. He had regained consciousness momentarily, realized that his eyes…and many other parts of him…were bandaged and then had been made to drink something sweet…something with honey in it…perhaps a touch of mint…and then he had slipped away into comforting darkness of oblivion once again.

Until now.

Although he had no idea when 'now' was. 

No idea of how much time had elapsed. For all he knew…another cycle of the moon had gone full circle and he would be at its mercy once again.

And he had no idea how he had gotten there…all he knew for certain was that it had been too late…he had seen her look of terror before relinquishing control to the beast within. There had not been any escape for her. He could only pray that she had not suffered. That it had been quick…

__

"Oh, Hermione," he thought in anguish, tears forming behind closed lids, a sob escaping his lips. He could feel his heart break into a million pieces as he remembered her smile and her laughter and that sideways glance at the Head Table, which had always made his heartbeat quicken.

Gone forever.

And now he was alone again and his life stretched out before him in all its starkness. Companions he still had but love…love had eluded him once again…in the cruelest fashion imaginable.

"Remus?" Poppy's voice was beside him…a cool hand touching his forehead. For a moment, Remus could imagine when he was a child and she had looked after him…the only mediwitch of her time who would even come near the victim of a werewolf's bite. Always healing the damage he inflicted on himself. Always offering words of encouragement when he felt that his life was nothing but a travesty. Always kind and generous.

"Yes?" Remus answered thickly…his throat felt dry and tight, strained…as if he had spent the last few days yelling at the top of his lungs.

"How are you feeling?"

"Must you ask that?"

Silence…then a soft touch on his hair. "I must remove the bandages around your eyes…they are the last ones. You have healed remarkably well."

He did not reply. Again, the mediwitch's capable hands deftly unrolled the bandages and removed the gauze covering his eyes. 

He did not open them.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Later…I would much rather be alone right now."

"I will advise the others that you are up…they have been most anxious for you, Remus. As was I."

"Thank you…but please…I don't believe I will be very good company right now."

"I understand. So many things have changed in the world now that the Dark Lord is gone."

"Gone? Truly gone this time?"

"The Headmaster believes so. Finally, we can live our lives in peace."

__

"A peace that has come too late for me," Remus thought sadly.

"I will leave you a glass of water on your bedside table. The spell that Harry used to disable the Dark Lord hurt your eyes but they are fine now…no residual scarring." Her voice sounded proud and Remus tried to smile for her sake.

__

"My eyes are healed and yet they will never see her again," Remus thought…wondering when he would have the courage to open them.

"I'll be back shortly, Remus. I must tell the others…I know they will want to see you. And I think you will want to see them as well. But, for the moment, try to rest. Your strength has not yet returned and you did lose a great deal of blood."

Again, that soft caress on his forehead…something that a mother might have done for an injured son. Then, the sound of receding footsteps told Remus that he was alone.

Yes, alone.

What on earth was he supposed to do now? It would appear that he had not even a promise to keep any longer. Harry had somehow defeated the Dark Lord. It stood to reason that Lucius Malfoy and Wormtail were enjoying extended stays at Azkaban. What was left for him to do?

"And yet, I promised," he whispered to the empty room. "I promised her."

He felt the pull of sleep on him again and succumbed to it gratefully…wishing he did not ever have to wake up again.

*********Sometime later************

When Remus awoke again, he felt much stronger and felt much less pain. He moved his arms and legs around and, despite some remaining soreness, decided that he was going to live after all.

"Poppy had a hard time with you," a familiar drawling voice forced Remus to open his eyes. Severus was sitting on a chair next to his bed. He looked tired, somewhat weak but Remus noticed immediately that the haunted look in his eyes was gone.

"She has always taken good care of me," Remus replied quietly. "Even when I was a child."

"Well, I must admit that you were probably a better patient than I was," Severus smirked. 

"Is Voldemort really gone, Severus?" Remus asked…wanting confirmation of the news.

Severus nodded gravely. "He is gone, Remus…gone forever. He was administered the Dementor's Kiss in Azkaban two days ago. I was there…a witness to the procedure. It was…horrifying. I hope to never return to that accursed place." The Potions Master shuddered as if suddenly chilled.

"And…and the mark?"

Severus rolled up his sleeve and showed Remus his forearm. "It is still there. Some marks never fade away just as some wounds never heal." Rolling the material down again, Severus turned to his friend. "I plan to continue working on a cure for you. And I will have help. Between us, I am certain that we will eventually find the right combination of ingredients that will release you from this curse. I give you my word on that, Remus."

"Thank you, Severus."

Severus got up and looked around the room. "Black has been in and out of here all the days that you were unconscious. I am certain that he will want to see you shortly. But, I believe that there is another who is very anxious to see you."

Remus turned away from Severus. "I don't want to see anyone else, Severus. I would prefer to be alone."

"I don't believe that is a viable option, my friend. She is most insistent…a typically Gryffindor trait, I might add. Something that was very apparent as a student and which womanhood has failed to stamp out of her," Severus' voice drawled.

Remus' heart nearly stopped when he caught the first whiff of her scent. Turning around, he could not see her, but he knew she was there.

Severus smiled and stepped aside, revealing…

"Hermione!" Remus shouted and, in a sudden rush of adrenaline, jumped out of his bed and grabbed the Charms Professor around the waist, causing both of them to fall to the ground in an ungraceful heap. Remus frantically kissed her cheeks, her lips, her eyelids…and then stopped to look at her…shock and sheer joy intermingling in his expression. "Is it really you?"

"I was so worried about you, Remus," she smiled through her tears.

Remus' eyes widened in amazement. "_You_ were worried about _me_? I…I was frantic…thought for certain…dared not hope…by the stars, Hermione…" and he began to kiss her all over again, holding her as if he were afraid to ever let her go again.

Severus made a slight cough. "I will leave it to you, Hermione, to ensure that our patient returns to his bed."

Remus had forgotten all about Severus. He sat up suddenly and blushed profusely. Severus pretended not to notice.

"Yes, Severus," Hermione replied cheekily, eyes glowing with happiness. "Now, do be a good overgrown bat and fly out of here. Margot must be waiting for you somewhere in your dungeons." 

Severus tried to look severe and disapproving but failed miserably and his laughter filled the infirmary. Shaking his head in disbelief, he turned to leave, muttering something about know-it-all Gryffindors under his breath. They could still hear him muttering even after he closed the door behind him.

"Come now, Remus. Let's get you back into bed. You've not quite recovered all your strength," Hermione kissed Remus on the cheek.

Slowly they managed to get him back into bed as he was completely spent from his initial outburst of joyous relief. Hermione handed him the glass of water on the table.

"Hermione…I…what happened? I thought…I thought…"

Hermione put a finger to his lips to shush him. "It's a long story, Remus and I don't think I should tell you all of it right now. "

"But…how did you…I…" a horrifying thought came to him. "Hermione, I didn't bite you, did I?"

"No, you didn't," Hermione replied quietly, holding his hand.

"I don't understand. What happened?"

"Severus gave me a derivative of the Draught of the Living Death that made me appear, for all intents and purposes, dead. Werewolves will not touch a corpse," Hermione said.

"Of course," Remus was amazed at the simplicity of it all. "Severus is a lot more intelligent than I give him credit for."

"I am certain you will never tell him that to his face," she grinned.

Remus laughed…all the heartache and sadness leaving him instantly. He leaned over and embraced Hermione tightly. Breathing in her scent and feeling her heartbeat…he felt that he could ask nothing else of the world.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered into her hair. "I thought that I would be alone forever."

"I was here almost all the time, you know…I could not bear to be away from you for too long," she smiled, touching his hair and caressing his cheek softly.

"I thought…you would be disgusted…seeing me like that."

"It was not the first time, Remus." Hermione reminded him.

"But still…"

"Remus, I love you. This…thing you become…it is not you. I could see that. I looked into its eyes and, when I did, I saw no trace of Remus Lupin…no trace of the man that means more to me than anything else in this world."

"You are a remarkable woman, Hermione," Remus sighed.

Hermione grinned at him. "Besides, as Severus already told you, I will be assisting in his efforts to produce a cure for someone like yourself…bitten by a werewolf so many years ago. Margot will also be providing us with her expertise on the subject."

"She will not be returning to Durmstrang?"

"She does not wish to return and, since the position of Hogwarts librarian is now open, thanks to Pince's treachery, the Headmaster has kindly asked her to fill it."

"I take it she accepted?"

"Let us say that the decision required very little thought on her part. Severus is thrilled, to say the least. They love each other and I don't think I have ever seen Severus so happy."

"Does he still want the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?"

Hermione laughed. "No, the position is yours for as long as you want it. He has resigned himself to being a Potions Master although, if the rumours are true, we will also have a Potions Mistress before long. I suppose he wants to make up for lost time."

Remus took Hermione's hand and held it close to his heart. "He is not the only one."

She blushed prettily but said nothing.

"Stay with me," Remus asked softly.

She turned to look at him…a little confused at the request. "I wasn't planning to go anywhere else today."

"That is not what I meant, Hermione. Please. Stay with me. Always."

Her breath caught a little at that and her eyes began to sparkle with newfound joy.

"Please. Be a part of my life…just as you already are a part of my heart…a part of my soul," Remus implored, kissing that small hand and looking up to her with such strong emotion that it almost hurt.

"Yes."

Fin

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And so, it has ended. Wow. I have had a lot of fun with this story and I have lots of people to thank.

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Tessie - for writing "The Virus" which was the first Remus/Hermione story I read and which inspired me to do one of my own. Thanks for being my friend and for all your good advice.

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Amy - for being someone I could turn to for advice in my writing and for helping me out when things got a little hairy. 

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Giulia - perchè sono sempre contenta quando ricevo una notizia da te.

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Marek - for being such a faithful reader…any writer would be blessed to have someone like you. Keep smiling!

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Bre, Gramarye and Aerial - for your enthusiasm that drove me to finish this story a lot sooner than I otherwise might have.

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Lynn - my fellow Canadian Marauder…for everything and just for being someone I can always talk to about life, the universe and everything (and Alan Rickman)

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Drusilla and Jaded Green - for appreciating Remus (and others) as much as I do

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Ashley - for all your encouragement…thanks!

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Sharte - who has kindly offered to be my beta for "Redemption" - THANKS

**Jessica**, Michael, Holly and Marguerite, Holly and Michelle - Just because

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Ron - who holds the distinction of being the very first Marauder…thanks!

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Joe, Enzo, Natashia and Veronika - for being my friends…I can't thank you enough

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Tony, **Michael and Nicholas** - for being my sounding boards and for putting up with me hogging the computer for hours on end

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Mom & Dad - for putting up with my excited "I finished another chapter" outbursts and for always encouraging my creativity

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Mel - because being considered 'literate' by you is the best compliment imaginable

And finally, **a huge thank you to everyone who read and/or reviewed my story**…it is much appreciated.

So, what is next on the horizon for this strega? Well, I am aiming to complete "Ex Libris" before the end of the year (it's not going to be a long story and it isn't completely serious…sort of a fun thing for me to write). Then I will embark on "The Price of Redemption" which is the first full-length Severus/Hermione story I have attempted (and I haven't completely planned it out yet). As for anything else…well, that is up to the muse, as they say.

Thanks for reading and thanks for the comments. 

Strega Brava has left the building…for now.

PS: If you would like updates as to when I post something on ffnet, please contact me at stregabrava@yahoo.ca_ - I always love to hear from my readers. I also have a Yahoo group where I archive all my stories _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stregabrava/

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